An empty platitude; judging by the man's words, he himself did not believe the request would pass. Jon never particularly cared about the education project, but the maesters had made a poor showing so far. Luwin, Aemon, and Wolkan seemed to be the exception, not the rule. With their monopoly on teaching and the subtle attempts to insert themselves in the higher northern echelons, Jon finally began to understand why the maesters were oft called "grey rats'.