A Massachusetts federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a superintendent candidate whose job offer was rescinded after he opened a group email with the word “ladies,” which some school committee members viewed as a microaggression.

In Perrone v. City of Easthampton, the court found that the plaintiff had no enforceable contract and therefore no constitutionally protected property interest in the job. His due process claims were dismissed with prejudice, and the court declined to hear the remaining state law claims, which included breach of contract and violations of the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act.

The case offers not only a legal lesson in public employment contracting, but also a highly publicized flashpoint in evolving norms around language and perceived bias.

The school committee had voted to offer the plaintiff the position of superintendent of schools, pending successful contract negotiations. The committee chair informed the plaintiff of the decision and verbally discussed the jobs terms, including a three-year contract.

The plaintiff verbally accepted and was told a written contract would follow.

When he received the draft contract, he requested three changes, opening the email with the salutation “Ladies.” After discussion, the committee voted to rescind the offer.

The plaintiff sued, asserting that the rescinded offer violated his constitutional right to due process.

But the court dismissed those claims with prejudice.

Here are the court’s key findings:

There was no signed contract or finalized agreement.
Under Massachusetts law, a school committee must vote in public session to approve specific contract terms. That never happened.
The court emphasized the importance of public accountability and formal procedures in government hiring, rejecting claims based on informal or verbal agreements.

Important takeaways

The case is a reminder that public-sector hiring lives and dies by process.

No matter how far along things may seem, an enforceable agreement requires a formal vote and a signed contract.

Negotiating compensation or benefits can turn an acceptance into a counteroffer and reopen the entire deal.

At the same time, the controversy over the term “ladies” shows how quickly perceptions of professionalism, tone and respect can escalate.