Gifted/high IQ/whatever is not a blanket pass to excel. We'll suck at a lot of things, we're subject to plenty of the same mental illnesses and struggles, etc.

Gifted education is intended to address the needs of the students beyond what can be provided in a standard classroom. That's not just more worksheets or harder textbooks; it should also cover students who are able to coast through the advanced classes and make sure they know that they, like every other human, won't have everything easy. A lot of school programs have missed the mark and a lot will, but education is a process of improvement. Many of the teachers today are doing better for the kids because of the lessons learned from our teachers.

Special education (including gifted education) isn't legally mandated in schools to make the students prove they're eligible for the label. If you got value out of the program, it was meant for you.