The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Rhode Island, alleging that the state’s student loan forgiveness program for teachers of color unlawfully discriminates based on race.
According to the complaint, the Providence Public School District initiative offers new teachers student loan repayment assistance—but only if they are not white. “White teachers are excluded from eligibility,” the DOJ stated in its filing on Tuesday.
This legal action aligns with broader efforts from the Trump-era Department of Justice to challenge diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives nationwide.
Under the program, teachers who identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian, or American Indian and work for three years in the Providence Public School District could receive up to $25,000 in student loan relief. However, approximately 80% of public school teachers in the U.S. are non-Hispanic white, according to Pew Research Center data from last year.
Representatives from the Providence Public School District and Rhode Island Department of Education declined to confirm details of the program. In a joint statement to CNBC, they said they had been collaborating with the DOJ to address the issue but added, “PPSD and RIDE officials have not been served, and we were not informed by federal representatives that they would proceed with a lawsuit. Since there is active litigation, PPSD and RIDE will not be commenting further.”
The DOJ is seeking a court injunction to halt the program’s race-based eligibility requirements and an “award of equitable relief” for nonminority teachers who were excluded.