The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has found reasonable cause to believe the Providence Public School District (PPSD) in Rhode Island unlawfully discriminated against white teachers by offering a student loan forgiveness program exclusively to non-white educators. This finding follows an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) into the "Educator of Color Loan Forgiveness Program." The program, initiated in 2021, aimed to address a racial disparity where approximately 80% of students were of color, while only 20% of educators identified as teachers of color.
The "Educator of Color Loan Forgiveness Program," launched in 2021, was supported by a substantial $3.1 million grant from the Rhode Island Foundation. This initiative aimed to provide up to $25,000 in student loan forgiveness for eligible teachers who completed three consecutive years of service within the district. Eligibility was explicitly tied to racial identity, requiring recipients to identify as Asian, Black, Indigenous, Latino, biracial, or multi-racial, in addition to having at least $5,000 in student loan debt.
The DOJ launched its investigation in March 2025, examining whether the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and PPSD engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This federal scrutiny stemmed from a civil rights complaint filed in 2022 by the Legal Insurrection Foundation (LIF), which alleged that the program overtly excluded white applicants. PPSD Superintendent Jav Jacobson stated the loan forgiveness program was created to attract diverse educators, aligning with the district's core values.
Despite the investigations, the Providence Public School District maintains it is an "equal opportunity employer" and does not discriminate based on race or other protected statuses. The Legal Insurrection Foundation (LIF), which initially filed the civil rights complaint in 2022, has been a vocal critic of the program, with its founder William A. Jacobson calling it "open discrimination" and a violation of civil rights. The ongoing federal investigations are expected to have significant implications, potentially influencing how similar programs are structured and implemented across educational systems nationwide to ensure compliance with anti-discrimination laws.