I agree that pushing kids too hard to perform at a level that they're barely capable of is bad, and a lot of middle/upper-middle class parents seem to do that w

I agree that pushing kids too hard to perform at a level that they're barely capable of is bad, and a lot of middle/upper-middle class parents seem to do that when it's totally unnecessary for them. I don't plan to pressure my own kids just for the sake of it. That said, I was incredibly bored in school with a bunch of AP classes, and still didn't feel much pressure with a double major in math and engineering in university. Like I would skip my real analysis lectures sometimes because they felt like a waste of time (in retrospect I probably should've talked to my advisor to see if I could take the graduate version instead, but oh well). Some kids need a faster pace, and it's good to have somewhere for them to go. The trend seems to be if anything (particularly in certain major west coast cities) that public schools are opting out of being that place. Especially when it comes to non-AP classes, you'd might as well let those kids go home and play video games. They might actually learn more.