Originally Posted by
ForteNightshade
Because White Mage's flaws aren't nearly as noticeable outside higher end content. In the hands of a skilled player attempting to optimize, you'll notice the lack of oGCD healing, the lack of mobility and constant clipping issues. None of these stand out in more casual play where someone is far less likely to even care they clipped their GCD or aren't focusing on their Glare casts.
Scholar, on the other hand, is harder to play. That alone breeds criticism. Shields are also routinely unnecessary, especially in lower difficulty content. Which means a good portion of their kit is often useless. Ghosting abilities is equally noticeable because, well, what you intended to have happen just... doesn't. Perhaps the biggest damning aspect for Scholar's criticism though is it had stuff people actually miss. White Mage suffered for years as being the "prog healer" no one wanted afterwards due to its horrible MP management, lack of utility and low damage as a result. Shadowbringers is the first expansion people actually wanted White Mage and weren't asking them to switch to Astro later. Scholar only lost many of the aspect which made it great.
Simply put. People miss what was taken away more than what could be. White Mage could be better but Scholar was better.