# Easthampton school superintendent job offer abruptly rescinded **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 6, 2023, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248 "2023-04-06T13:01:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/81 "2023-04-06T17:18:26Z")
Which it won’t. The board likely isn’t going to come out and say “well, we got to negotiations and it turned out he wanted xx% more than the budget allocated, and wasn’t willing to budge.” Or “our initial decision was close, 3 board members didn’t want him and two others had to be convinced - and then something something came to light about how he handled something something.” There best bet, for a number of reasons is “no comment.” Frankly, when you enter contract negotiations knowing it was a 4 to 3 vote to offer you the job, you should be on your best behavior until everything is signed. Something far stupider than “ladies” could turn someone who was on the fence and said yes into a no. (I’d avoid ladies in a work context. Informally, I use both ladies and gentlemen all the time. But honestly, I’ve gotten pushback for using “gentlemen” to refer to a group of guys at work - it was pointed out it can come across as mocking (and I agree, it can) - and I stopped using both in a work context a decade ago.) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/82 "2023-04-06T17:21:37Z")
This story has all the hallmarks of right-wing outrage bait. It’s a story about a liberal area, involving a school, that purports that the people involved are some sort of “SJWs” who overreacted to some non-issue related to social justice. The messaging of this story is “Those stupid liberals won’t even let us say the word ‘ladies’!” This is a guy who is angry about a rescinded job offer. He’s trying to punish the school for this slight against him. As such, everything he says should be taken with a huge grain of salt. Even people who aren’t trying to be dishonest very often have a one-sided story that misrepresents the events in question. And it just happens to play into right wing biases. The audience for “SJW going overboard” is generally more credulous. Hence the use of all this “culture war” stuff. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/83 "2023-04-06T17:22:41Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > This story has all the hallmarks of right-wing outrage bait Yup. I don’t know why posters here continue to fall for this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/84 "2023-04-06T17:24:27Z")
It depends on the tone. There can be tone in an email and I’d really have to see the whole email to decide if I thought “Ladies” was offensive. I must say that I wonder if part of the issue was that he was emailing the committee chair and the executive assistant. All the articles are based on what Perrone said without any comment by the school district - but I have to say , it’s odd for him to be emailing the chairperson and the executive assistant about _anything_ . There are some things that a candidate/new hire should be emailing the committee chair about , others that should be addressed with the executive assistant and pretty much nothing that should be addressed to both. And if I were the committee chair who was jointly addressed with the executive assistant as “Ladies” I would really wonder what would have happened with a male chair - would he have been treated as a peer to the executive assistant or is that reserved for women? Also , regarding “Ladies” or “Sir” or “Gentleman” - I worked for a law enforcement agency and certain officers called men in custody “sir” in a way that was absolutely not respectful. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/85 "2023-04-06T17:24:43Z")
They’re going to be pretty open about it. Here’s their upcoming 4/10 agenda: > I. Call to Order > II. Public Speak – up to 90 minutes total; up to 3 minutes per speaker > III. Superintendent candidate discussion and/or potential vote on whether or not to continue negotiations with the candidate > IV. Superintendent Search discussion and/or potential vote on a candidate to be the next superintendent > V. Remain in open session, while Chair contacts the candidate to offer the position subject to negotiations, and/or discuss the candidate’s response to the offer of employment subject to negotiations > VI. Adjourn Agenda: [2023 - OneDrive (sharepoint.com)](https://epsd-my.sharepoint.com/personal/eps-files_epsd_us/_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?ga=1&id=%2Fpersonal%2Feps%2Dfiles%5Fepsd%5Fus%2FDocuments%2FWebsite%2FSchool%20Committee%2FAgendas%2F2023%2F4%2D10%2D2023%20Agenda%2Epdf&parent=%2Fpersonal%2Feps%2Dfiles%5Fepsd%5Fus%2FDocuments%2FWebsite%2FSchool%20Committee%2FAgendas%2F2023) Y’all can zoom in and listen if you want, or catch the rerun on YouTube. Which sounds like too much work, but as someone who’s been on/run town committees here in MA, I suspect the “Public Speak” part might be somewhat entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/86 "2023-04-06T17:25:28Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Still doesn’t tell me why “ladies” is offensive. Hell, I know many women that don’t think it’s offensive and use the term themselves. I really feel like I’m missing something here OR maybe it’s just recreational outrage. No, it’s not recreational outrage. Yes, there are women who use the term themselves and don’t mind it being used by others. Yes, it is often used condescendingly by men who are _absolutely unaware_ they are being condescending. Being unaware of it doesn’t make it not be condescension. Just because you’ve never been called on it doesn’t mean some persons so addressed do not notice. Quite possibly you are given a pass because you are sufficiently old that your age is your excuse. Try using “women”, if their gender is essential in your statement, i.e. “the women’s bathroom is around the corner to the left”. Otherwise, “people” or “men and women” can’t be faulted. ---
**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, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/87 "2023-04-06T17:26:59Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > And the possibility of some guy being a liar approaches 100% even faster. Do you have a point, or are we just making inane statistics observations? Perhaps your comment would be more welcome in the Pit. I understand I have a thread there. ---
**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, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/88 "2023-04-06T17:27:23Z")
If I was at dinner with a group of good female friends and we were wrapping up to get to the next place, I might informally say, “let’s go ladies”. I would never use start a business email with “Ladies” particularly if it was in the middle of a negotiation and I was trying to persuade. It’s comes across as condescending and too familiar and unprofessional. If I used a salutation at all it would be “Greetings”. So let’s get a couple of things clear. This is not addressing a group of colleagues with whom you are familiar in an informal settings. This is also not the lie told in the OP that it was “Ladies and Gentlemen”. It is fair game, in my opinion, to discuss whether the greeting is ok in an email generally even if we have no idea if it is the reason for not getting the job. ---
**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, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/89 "2023-04-06T17:28:26Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > This story has all the hallmarks of right-wing outrage bait. It was reported in a mainstream newspaper. Are we going down the rabbit hole of “fake news?” ---
**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, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/90 "2023-04-06T17:29:23Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > Perhaps your comment would be more welcome in the Pit. I understand I have a thread there. I’m not pitting you, I’m questioning the relevance of your statement. ---
**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, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/91 "2023-04-06T17:31:09Z")
I am explaining that given the huge number of school boards, it is almost certain that one or the other has done something this silly. ---
**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, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/92 "2023-04-06T17:33:40Z")
And no one said it wasn’t possible. We contend that it’s much more likely that the person who lost the job is at best putting a giant spin on things or completely full of shit. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/93 "2023-04-06T17:34:25Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > Are we going down the rabbit hole of “fake news?” I think there’s no question that the guy in question alleged what he alleged. The question is, was that really why he wasn’t hired? I’d say the school district dodged a bullet here, because you don’t want your superintendent running right to the media when things don’t go his way. Now, he has brought a buttload of trouble on the school – I’m sure the rest of the board are now thanking their lucky stars they rescinded his offer. ---
**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, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/94 "2023-04-06T17:34:27Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > I am explaining that given the huge number of school boards, it is almost certain that one or the other has done something this silly And given the much larger number of applicants reviewed by school boards, and the fact that one lying applicant can lie but multiple crazy people on a board are required to act crazy, the statistical likelihood argument in fact favors the explanation that this guy is lying. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/95 "2023-04-06T17:38:58Z")
First of all, just to remind everyone, we have no idea why the offer was rescinded. All we know is the reason he said for it being rescinded, and that’s basically no information. Anyone who’s just had a job offer rescinded is going to be angry at the employer, and is likely to want to make themself look good and the employer look bad. That said, if he really did address an email to two people with “Ladies”, then that’s… Odd, at least. It’s normal to address a large group of people as “Ladies and Gentlemen”. If a large group happens to consist entirely of women (for instance, the alumnae of an all-girls school), then I suppose one would use just “Ladies”. But for two people? How would he have addressed them if they were one man and one woman, “Lady and Gentleman”? ---
**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, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/96 "2023-04-06T17:39:32Z")
If there is a news report about a lying applicant, I would give it the same weight as a reputable news story about a school board that take offense to the word “lady.” ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/97 "2023-04-06T17:43:31Z")
Certainly you agree that the school board dodged a bullet here, right? This guy popping off to whine to the media about not getting a job is not the kind of person you want running your schools. ---
**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, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/98 "2023-04-06T17:43:38Z")
We don’t have a reputable news story about a school board that takes offense to the word “lady.” We have a news story about a superintendent finalist alleging that was the reason his offer was rescinded. ---
**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, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/99 "2023-04-06T17:44:20Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > If there is a news report about a lying applicant, I would give it the same weight as a reputable news story about a school board that take offense to the word “lady.” For the millionth time, the story didn’t say that that the offer was rescinded for that reason. It said that the one person _claimed_ that the offer was rescinded for that reason. No one is disputing that the claim was made. Most of us don’t believe him. ---
**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, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248/100 "2023-04-06T17:45:39Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > We don’t have a reputable news story about a school board that takes offense to the word “lady.” We have a news story about a superintendent finalist alleging that was the reason his offer was rescinded Exactly this. All we have, @Paul_was_in_Saudi, is a story that tells us a guy is saying something. In his own story, we find reasons not to believe him. But you have declared that this is a story about a man being fired for saying the word “lady” (even though every headline is very careful NOT to say that, using weasel words can like “after” instead of “because”.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easthampton-school-superintendent-job-offer-abruptly-rescinded/982248.md?page=6)