I think you have a point that gifted kids can do just fine without parental help, but I also believe that many of them can and do fall through the cracks. I have read that many gifted kids do end up dropping out of high school and I unsure how many manage to find their way back into school.
I also know that my dear uncle in the 1970's struggled with school and did not want to go at all since he was profoundly gifted. They did not have the options that they do now. He did receive some home bound instruction, but I doubt the adequacy of that. I think he would have loved traditional home schooling or the public cyber school option that is available to my ds. I know that I would have loved it as well
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I also think that at least in my neck of the woods, gifted education in the elementary public schools is practically non-existent. I cannot speak of middle and high school, but I imagine it is also inadequate.
I definitely do think it is worth doing something for gifted kids. I know that my ds is currently receiving the kind of education that I would have loved to receive via a public cyber school
