I represented a school system where the kid was assigned to an honors class and the parent sued because she wanted the boy in a regular class because it would be easier for her little (16 year old) boy to get straight A's.
Helicopter parents will come at you no matter what you do.
You means honors classes aren't voluntary at the school system you represented??? How the heck do they justify that? When I was in government school, the student had a choice to either join the honors class or not if they were selected.