Federal government denounces loan forgiveness program for educators of specific ethnicities, asserting it promotes racial discrimination under Trump administration.
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the Rhode Island Department of Education and Providence Public Schools over a loan-forgiveness program aimed at attracting teachers of colour to work in the state's largest school district.
The program, which started in 2021, offers up to $25,000 in student loan forgiveness to new teachers of colour who agree to work in Providence. The more than $3 million Rhode Island program was created through a partnership between the state, the district, and the Rhode Island Foundation.
However, the Justice Department argues that the program violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act because white teachers are not eligible. The department filed its complaint in federal court in Rhode Island, stating that the program is "racist and unlawful."
Max Eden, the director of federal education policy at the America First Policy Institute, questioned the legality of a program that awards scholarships only to teachers of a certain race. Eden suggested that schools focusing on recruiting teachers whose backgrounds are similar to their students' should instead focus on finding educators who grew up or live in the neighbourhood the school serves. He believes that having people from the community as teachers makes perfect sense as they should be the default labor pool.
Providence Public Schools and the Rhode Island Department of Education said in a joint statement that they tried to work out a solution with the Justice Department and were caught off guard by the filing. The school district serves more than 19,000 students, with more than two-thirds being Latino, 14% being Black, and 6.5% being white. Forty percent of the district's students are English learners.
The lawsuit is part of a systemic effort by the Trump administration to roll back equity-focused programs, even as it promotes local control for schools. Eric Duncan, the director of P-12 policy at the Education Trust, expressed concern about the Justice Department's lawsuit against the Rhode Island Department of Education and Providence Public Schools, stating that it echoes a painful chapter in U.S. history and risks repeating it.
Research from organizations like the Education Trust suggests that students from all backgrounds benefit from having a teacher of colour in their classroom. The Chicago Public Schools is also under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education over its "Black Student Success Plan," which aims to hire more Black male educators, accelerate Black students' achievement growth, enhance Black students' sense of belonging, and reduce disciplinary actions against Black students.
The Rhode Island Foundation, the organization that submitted the debt relief program for teachers, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The case is expected to be closely watched by education advocates and civil rights groups as it moves forward.
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