# Easthampton school superintendent job offer abruptly rescinded **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 6, 2023, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248 "2023-04-06T13:01:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/21 "2023-04-06T14:41:38Z")
Truly, the _New York Times_ holds back my reading. I am just going on some novel or somesuch and then the next morning, plop, here is another pile to read. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/22 "2023-04-06T14:46:50Z")
There’s still the issue that it comes down to belief. Mainly, ALL the reporting so far has stated this has come from the job applicant only and not confirmed by the school. So, it’s not a “he said, she said”. It’s a “he said, _no comment_”. But there’s still a fair amount of accepting that one side of the story uncritically. Still seems to me to be a job contract negotiation that broke down and this is part of a pressure campaign on the school using “wokism gone too far” as ammunition. But, that’s still just a WAG. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/23 "2023-04-06T14:50:41Z")
Of course as we are resorting to guessing, the truth may be as reported. I guess. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/24 "2023-04-06T14:51:17Z")
I think using “lady” is simply clueless and shows inability to communicate with the public. Plus, he wanted 40 sick days for his first year. Was he planning on calling in sick for two months? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/25 "2023-04-06T14:52:02Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > Of course as we are resorting to guessing, the truth may be as reported. I guess. What truth as reported? What has been repeatedly stated in this thread is the reporting doesn’t say either way. It says “one guy claims this happened”. So, yes, _that_ truth is absolutely as reported. The guy did make that claim. It could well be that it is what really did happen, but the reporting does not go that far. Once again, there is a difference in a report that says “one guy says something happened” and a report that says “something happened”. They are absolutely NOT the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/26 "2023-04-06T15:29:33Z")
I think the guy is full of crap and the actual reason has more to do with his attempt to bargain for arguably unreasonable demands. Then he made up some bullshit to the press, with no proof. Of course this is red mean to small minded anti-woke shithead bigots. Of course I could be wrong and will potentially change my mind and there is some actual proof, except for the red meat to bigots part. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/27 "2023-04-06T15:31:48Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I think the guy is full of crap and the actual reason has more to do with his attempt to bargain for arguably unreasonable demands. What make you think this? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/28 "2023-04-06T15:37:32Z")
“Ladies and gentlemen” is an extremely common speech opening that countless people have used countless times in the past century or more. Was this guy ever given advance notice that such a common phrase was no longer permitted? If he was warned in advance, and defied, that’s one thing, but if he was suddenly ambushed, that’s another. It would be like if I suddenly fired or rescinded someone’s job offer for saying “hey guys” but without ever warning in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/29 "2023-04-06T15:38:06Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > “Ladies and gentlemen” is an extremely common speech opening that countless people have used countless times in the past century or more. Was this guy ever given advance notice that such a common phrase was no longer permitted? I still address juries that way. I missed the memo. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/30 "2023-04-06T15:39:54Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > What make you think this? Occam’s Razor. What’s more likely? The entire administration of this school are crazy people who freaked out over a standard greeting? Or one guy has an axe to grind because he didn’t get the job he wanted, and wants to make the people who rejected him look bad? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/31 "2023-04-06T15:41:41Z")
The craziest part of the story is the school sending police to wake him up at 12:15 AM, midnight, because he didn’t answer his phone. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/32 "2023-04-06T15:41:58Z")
I’d say the original 4-3 vote (which was a matter of public record) to extend an offer was also telling. That sounds pretty borderline to me and a situation where contract negotiations could easily tip things ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/33 "2023-04-06T15:42:55Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > “Ladies and gentlemen” is an extremely common speech opening that countless people have used countless times in the past century or more. Was this guy ever given advance notice that such a common phrase was no longer permitted? According to local reporting in the Boston Globe, this issue has nothing to do with greeting people with “Ladies and Gentlemen.” That is a mistake from the OP. The issue, according to the candidate, is that he used “ladies” to refer to two women on the school board. Repeat, this kerfluffle has _nothing_ to do with using the greeting “Ladies and gentlemen.” ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/34 "2023-04-06T15:44:12Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > > [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > > > What make you think this? > > Occam’s Razor. What’s more likely? The entire administration of this school are crazy people who freaked out over a standard greeting? Or one guy has an axe to grind because he didn’t get the job he wanted, and wants to make the people who rejected him look bad? Also, I take _any_ “I was fired because I did this one minor thing!” story with a huge grain of salt. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/35 "2023-04-06T15:49:59Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Occam’s Razor. What’s more likely? The entire administration of this school are crazy people who freaked out over a standard greeting? There are about a bazillion school boards. Some of them do unusual, strange things. It is generally unusual and strange things that make the paper. The likelihood that any one school board did some random silly thing is low. The likelihood that some school board did this is higher. If such a thing was done there would be some possibility it would be reported in some newspaper. But seriously, “lady” is offensive? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/36 "2023-04-06T15:51:08Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > If such a thing was done there would be some possibility it would be reported in some newspaper. And yet, to our knowledge, it hasn’t > [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > But seriously, “lady” is offensive? I would never refer to a single individual or small group of women (two in this case) as “lady” or “ladies” in a professional setting. I would preferentially use their names, perhaps including any relevant titles if they had them (Dr, VP, Director, etc). That actually is a red flag. That’s no longer acceptable in a professional setting. “Ladies and gentlemen” when addressing a mixed group? Perhaps, but I haven’t done so in quite some number of years. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/37 "2023-04-06T15:56:44Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > But seriously, “lady” is offensive? Depending on the context, absolutely. It can be a very dismissive term: “Listen, lady”, etc. I’ve witnessed some people using it in a very derogatory/dismissive way towards my wife, moments before she put them in their place. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/38 "2023-04-06T16:00:14Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > > [@hajario](#): > > > > I think the guy is full of crap and the actual reason has more to do with his attempt to bargain for arguably unreasonable demands. > > What make you think this? It makes no sense. My speculation is that they were annoyed that he turned down their generous offer and tried to negotiate and that he probably negotiated in a condescending tone and _maybe_ “Ladies” was a piece of that. Also, I read a couple articles about this so this tidbit might not have been in the one linked in the OP but one of the other finalists was a woman. He was given the job over her in the final round of interviews. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/39 "2023-04-06T16:02:24Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > There are about a bazillion school boards. Some of them do unusual, strange things. It is generally unusual and strange things that make the paper. I didn’t ask, “Do school boards ever do crazy things?” I asked, “Which is more likely? The entire school board is crazy, or this one guy is butthurt about being rejected for a job and making shit up?” Do you have a response to the question I actually asked? ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/40 "2023-04-06T16:04:26Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > It can be a very dismissive term: “Listen, lady”, etc. Or ![](https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExYnc3dDgwajZsaWRibmtoOTE2YWZkejhqcHN5M3hzNmUyN3FhZGd3MSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/VEasG3UBhmaWiBB8ut/giphy.gif "Beck Bennett Flirt GIF by Saturday Night Live - Find & Share on GIPHY") Or Jerry Lewis “Hey Lady” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248.md?page=3)