Pete loves to talk, but rarely says anything intended for mere mortals — aside from propaganda. Here’s how to make sense out of recent Pete-speak.

  1. We won’t save any money by closing schools. What Pete really means is he is not about to be locked into closing schools based solely on financial considerations, which might lead in directions Pete does not like. Having said that, watch out Waddell High.
  2. We might save money with year-round schools. Pete will study anything the Board tells him to study so long as it keeps them out of his hair. He also gets a kick out of the local dimwit contingent trying to remake CMS in Wake County circa 2006.
  3. Let’s not spend the $25m. in Uncle Sucker cash on rehiring teachers right now. Pete does not want to have to hire back any of the deadwood he just cut loose citing budget needs. He would’ve preferred to fire some of those folks for cause, but that is just too messy, bad PR etc. Besides, look at all the resumes Pete is getting from sunny California. Folks much more to his liking.

You get the idea. But it will be very hard for Pete to spin the classrooms full of 35 or 40 kids this week, testament to principals who did not “spend” their teaching slots wisely. Wait til parents — the ones who care — get word of that new CMS wrinkle.