Report: Texas special education director fired

The Texas Education Agency fired the state's special education director Wednesday amid allegations that she covered up a sexual abuse case at her previous job at an Oregon school district, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

The firing comes two days after The Texas Tribune reported that Laurie Kash, who started at the Texas position in the summer, was facing a $1.85 million civil suit from two instructional assistants at Rainier School District in Oregon. The lawsuit alleges that a 6-year-old special education student told the plaintiffs she was being sexually abused by a high school boy but that Kash and her husband, superintendent Michael Carter, blocked them from reporting it to the authorities. After they reported it anyway, Kash and Carter harassed the plaintiffs in retaliation, the suit alleges.

The TEA said in a statement to the Statesman that the allegations were not disclosed during the hiring process for Kash and that they "prevent her from carrying out her duties effectively." The agency could not be reached for further comment Wednesday.