My ds8 got this question from at least one boy in his class, 'why are you in that class?' and so on.

My suggestion to ds was to tell the other boy to ask his own mom about applying for the program, which seemed like a good answer to ds.

The adult you were speaking too ought to have put her question differently, if that is what she had - questions. If she was just trying to tell you to stop sending your kid to the program..I too would not know what to say.