I think we're all in agreement that:
You don't need to go to an art school to gain professional level skills. For some people, it's a big help. For others, they actually learn better outside of a school environment.
Art school won't magically make your art better. You have to actually WORK for it.
What grinds my gears is when people say "oh I'm self taught" while implying that somehow makes them.............. better? or at least the flaws of their work more... excusable? No, it doesn't! And "self taught" is a meaningless term IMO. Look up tutorials, read books, get critiques -- none of that is true, pure self-teaching. You're still learning from others. No one learns art in a vacuum.
I didn't go to an art school, but I don't describe myself as a self-taught artist for that reason. My relative lack of formal art education is NOT a badge of glory, nor an excuse for my shortcomings.
That sounds a bit unfair to people who actually, genuinely enjoy still life, figure drawing, etc...