I felt held back by teachers and administrators who didn't want me advancing my learning too far past the level they were trying to teach.

I never felt like that. I felt completely free to study obscure math and interesting literature on my own without ever telling teachers. In fact, since I'd read these books in class paying just enough attention to remember the last 5 words or so before my name, and knew the material well enough to answer such questions, I felt damn superior.

But how come noone ever tells highschoolers to GED out of there?