Meritocracy exists in college, and in K-12 in the form of grades and SAT scores. If you learn, and do the work, you merit the better grades and admission to the better colleges.
But, it doesn't necessarily have to result in racially unequal results. Race has nothing to do with it. In a perfect system, some years one race may do better than another (snapshot in time) but overall it should be pretty close to equal outcomes. Of course, we'll never have a perfect system but we should have a system where every kid has an equal opportunity to excel. That is not the case and it has nothing to do with self-segregated neighborhoods. It has to do with crappy schools, lack of discipline, etc.
If these leftists teachers were really interested, they would volunteer to work at the worst schools in the poorest neighborhoods. But they stab each other in the back at the chance to work at a better school.
“If you learn, and do the work, you merit the better grades and admission to the better colleges.”
If you have a higher IQ to begin with, you are a lot more likely to succeed. It’s a nice thought that “skin color” is the only difference between groups. The world is evidence to the contrary. If you work hard, and have good community and family support, you can improve yourself. Results will vary.