This: "the irrational pretense of a meritocracy" and this: "most academically successful students will do well regardless of the curriculum or instructor" A

This: "the irrational pretense of a meritocracy" and this: "most academically successful students will do well regardless of the curriculum or instructor" Are contradictory - if the smarter students do well regardless, then it's not something in the school, home, or environment, that are making them do better. They are simply smarter, and that's not something you can create in other people.