Well, quite an interesting piece.
However, i think it is quite controversial to rule out the essential nature of fundamental and basic classroom learning for children, simply because the general perception is that everyone can not be equally evaluated based on academic excellence.
A school is a place of learning and impactation of knowledge. So, i really think it is essential that every child should be made to go through that process of trying to gain the knowledge being taught. If however a child is found not to be academically inclined, then practical skill acquisitions in technical forays can be exploited.
But to rule out the fact that a schooling system helps mold youngsters into exceptional individuals, simply because there is a tendency that some might not be given proper evaluation of their technical or indept skill and potentials in the current schooling system, is a logic or reasoning that seems a little bit flawed. My one penny opinion though.