Yes teachers should certainly have a say...
Though, I did transfer high schools (different state) and the math curriculum (math was my best subject) was set up differently, so the guidance counselor, being extremely conservative thought nit was in my best interest to start at the very bottom...
It was a 2 semester (4 quarter) full school year class for those that struggled with middle school math...
The first quarter, I was literally doing my entire class work in the first 15 minutes and then started HW from other classes, before they break us up into groups and then I'd talk, chat and help those in my group.
The second quarter, the classes test grades got low, and the teacher started yelling at me for going ahead and finishing before she'd get half way done... and for doing other subjects in her class.
They had a test out half way through, so I could try to get to the next level math, after the first semester... she the teacher was concerned for me.... I took the test and thought I got an A in it.... and she later pulled me out of another class to have a one on one discussion with me, and basically gave me a 5 minute speech how she hopes my feeling aren't hurt by the exam and if I'll be alright and all this other stuff, and then I suddenly thought I failed the test....
And finally she pulled it out and I got a 93 on the test, but she was trying to talk me into staying in her class as she was concerned I would struggle in future math classes...
And still til this day, I don't understand that woman... I totally get it that she's trying to be protecting of her students that struggle in math .... but how in the hell could she not tell that I was clearly not one of them? I never got 100s as I'll always make a simple error here or there... but I think I got mostly A or extremely high B's and I seriously put zero effort into it... that was like 3 years ago math to me, and see couldn't recognize that...
I didn't have to actually try in math for two more semesters catching up to where I was before the move...