No, I don't feel too bad that you were bored in fifth grade. I do feel bad that you were bullied. Yes, I read some of your other posts. Why? Because my suspicion is that there were other factors behind your vehemence on the topic. Might or might not be the case.
I'm not sure if the system is the same now in the US as it is now? In any event, I expect a lot of folks were bored in school and university for that matter. Some are bored because it is not challenging and others are bored because it doesn't match their interests. Learning to deal with and overcome the less than ideal is part of life.
I'd like to better understand your perspective. Do you think it was wrong or a bad idea that teachers put me a grade ahead b/c I could already read in kindergarten, and eventually skipped me a grade and put me in the gifted program so that I was learning at a level that challenged and interested me? Do you feel the same way about a student struggling to keep up in class, who isn't equipped or ready or able to manage the normal course load? "Kid, learning to deal with and overcome the less than ideal is part of life." (i.e. "suck it up"?)
More broadly, this thread discussion made me think of the theory of multiple intelligences, which argues that there are different kinds of intelligences (defined in the wiki link below). The original guy named eight:
-musical-rhythmic
-visual-spatial
-verbal-linguistic
-logical-mathematical
-bodily-kinesthetic
-interpersonal
-intrapersonal
-naturalistic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences
Mustachians likely excel in logical-mathematical intelligence, but that sure leaves a lot of other kinds of intelligences on the table!
I feel just fine about you being skipped or receiving whatever benefits available. I would cheer on anything that was helpful to you. If; however, you started lamenting to me about how bored you were at school, I would not have much sympathy. If you told me you had struggled with dyslexia I would have more sympathy - and I would be willing to spend more of my tax dollars to get you some help. Same goes for being bullied.
As a parent I work to make sure my kids have access to activities that help them further their interests/aptitudes and it is great when schools offer the same. In Canada we have challenge programs for gifted students and individual educational programs for students needing extra assistance. That said, the system is not perfect and kids are not going to receive everything in an optimized way.
I think at some point, and preferably early, we need to learn the lesson that we can take charge of our own learning. I am more concerned with assisting the LD student struggling to read than I am with a gifted student who can move at a faster pace. Why? Because a student who is advanced will be able to participate in self-learning. A student struggling to read and keep up is at risk of significant self-esteem and other barriers to becoming a self-learner - as may a student who is subject to bullying.
I agree with the theory of multiple intelligence and that is why iq is not really that meaningful to me and easily, imo, gets tied to ego in an elitist way. I am much more interested in what someone accomplishes through their own efforts rather than what a test score says. In terms of accomplishments, that can be in a variety of forms including things like a very successful marriage, excelling as a parent, retiring early or some incredible new invention.
I suppose being very happy with your life is the measure I believe in the most. If you asked whether people posting here are happier than the general population I would say there are some good examples of very happy people, but I'm not sure that there are more than average.