Fixing programmers

Well, I more or less agree, and the fact that the syntax and semantics of the switch statement is massively inconsistent with the rest of the language doesn't help at all. So you could say that people are trained to use the C syntax for all statements - except this one which has completely different rules. But it is used rarely enough that peple reflexively try to apply the mental model of the rest of the language to this one statement as well.

I know I do. I still have to basically relearn switch every time I encounter it. And it took me a lot of time and much mental effort to get it the first time. It's just so freakin' odd.

Anyway, fixing people in face of obviously broken tools (instead of fixing the tools) is never the right answer. It's elitist, condescending, and thinking about it, it could also have a component of Stockholm syndrome.