COLUMBIA - Two lawsuits for discrimination, filed against Columbia Public Schools and a former assistant superintendent, were dismissed Thursday.

Andrew and Rachel McCarthy (then Henderson) filed separate lawsuits in 2017 claiming discrimination and retaliation on the part of Kevin Brown. They said Brown punished them after they filed grievances against him. Brown left CPS in October 2018 to work in another school district.

Rachel McCarthy said Brown had made offensive comments about disabled students and about female teachers' appearance and bodies. They also said Brown made comments saying white families shouldn't adopt African-American children. The McCarthys, who are white, have an African-American adopted son.

Andrew McCarthy also claimed Brown kept him out of the hiring process for a position at Hickman High School, despite McCarthy's qualifications, due to Rachel McCarthy's complaints. At the time, both McCarthys worked at Battle High School.

In May 2017, Andrew McCarthy was moved to Hickman by Brown because he and Rachel were soon to be married, and Brown reportedly said the district didn't want married administrators at the same school. At that time, according to the McCarthys' attorney, there were at least four other married couples working together throughout the district.

The McCarthys had also gone to human resources when they started dating and were told their relationship wouldn't be a problem because neither one oversaw the other's work duties.