I think that’s an excellent analogy.

I’d be all for offering lower level courses in addition to eighth grade algebra, so that each student can take what he or she needs, but it sounds like that was already being done and wasn’t the issue.

As someone who likes my free time, I can’t say I have never been annoyed by the students who study 24/7 and make the rest of us look bad, but I don’t think that’s a justification for holding students back from what they’re ready for.