idk, modern schooling is fairly new in the grand scheme of things, so "kids need to be surrounded by (100s of) kids (exactly) their age" is probably not true? Large equal age cohorts is more likely an administrative consequences/simplification with) that's non-optimal than anything else.
I hadn't noticed this assumption in my thinking until you stated it so explicitly though!
We had to home school our daughter due to school fuck up and literal 8 years old psychopaths.
After a few months it was obvious that she had to be in contact with other kids for much much longer and regularly than what she could have to the best of our abilities and location.
But I agree that modern school system is problematic and clearly not optimal, just putting kids together due to their location and birthdate regardless of their interests and abilities.
We are just middle class with enough money to spare to support nicely our daughter, but I lack the ability to be able to work anywhere which would have helped her tremendously. (private school are bloody expensive in Switzerland and of dubious quality)
> After a few months it was obvious that she had to be in contact with other kids for much much longer and regularly than what she could have to the best of our abilities and location.
This is what it comes down to, unfortunately. Due to circumstances (which I'm sorry about) you couldn't provide what you felt was necessary for your daughter. This happens! But one can't make a general rule out of it. I would suggest looking into homeschooling societies, though. There are a lot of them. Homeschooling, at least in the US, doesn't necessarily mean the child is locked inside with their parent all day and isolated from their peers.
I hadn't noticed this assumption in my thinking until you stated it so explicitly though!