> Having also attended both public and ivy league schools in STEM from undergrad to PhD levels I can say from what I have seen there is a huge lack in mathematics education.
I respect your experience. I want to say, though, that I teach at a small liberal arts college and everyone here puts a great deal of energy into teaching. So there is an alternative.
> leads to a huge loss of talent from the practice and art of mathematics
You bring up a valid and important distinction that i have heard before surrounding liberal arts vs research unis. Having attended the latter, I have no personal experience to compare, but have heard much more positive reviews of liberal arts education from those who studied maths there.
Again I believe the incentive structures at teaching universities properly match what students are there to accomplish, whereas at research unis they tend to be muddled.
I respect your experience. I want to say, though, that I teach at a small liberal arts college and everyone here puts a great deal of energy into teaching. So there is an alternative.
> leads to a huge loss of talent from the practice and art of mathematics
Yes, it is a terrible thing.