So, the only thing left to assume is that they make things for popularity and/or funding.
Certainly not. You just have to not believe what you read.
You certainly don't believe everything you read, but well established knowledge from centuries ago isn't something some lunatic came up with.
So if someone dismisses gravity as a hoax, are we to support him because he is a critical thinker and start jumping off cliffs trying to fly?
When schools make a duty of learning by rote instead of learning to learn and exercise thoughtful criticism, only distrust can emerge.