Trump administration sues Rhode Island over Providence teacher loan forgiveness program

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit against the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and Providence Public Schools, alleging that a teacher student loan forgiveness initiative amounts to “race discrimination.”

The complaint, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Providence, challenges the “Educators of Color Loan Forgiveness Program”, which offers new teachers up to $25,000 in student loan repayment assistance.

Federal lawyers argue the program unlawfully excludes white teachers, noting its stated purpose is to help the district recruit a more diverse faculty.

This comes as the Trump administration has widely criticized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

The suit states that “Helping new teachers pay off their student loans may be a worthy goal. But excluding white teachers is discriminatory and unlawful.”

The program was launched in 2021 through a partnership between RIDE, Providence schools, and the nonprofit Rhode Island Foundation. It was specifically designed to attract nonwhite educators to the district.

The federal government is seeking to end the program “an award of equitable relief to non-minority new PPSD teachers who were not eligible for the Program on the basis of race.”

Trump sues Rhode Island teacher loan