EEOC finds White teachers excluded from Providence schools’ loan program

FIRST ON FOX: An investigation conducted by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found there was reasonable cause to believe that the Providence Public School District was unlawfully discriminating against White teachers by only offering student loan forgiveness to non-White educators. 

“The evidence obtained during the investigation establishes reasonable cause to believe that Respondent engaged in unlawful discrimination against a class of White applicants and employees who applied and were hired by Respondent in a teaching position for five academic years starting with the 2021-2022 school year based on their race, color and national origin,” the EEOC’s final determination letter stated on Thursday. 

In 2022, the Legal Insurrection Foundation, a Rhode Island-based nonprofit investigative and research group, filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education against the Providence Public School District.  

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An investigation conducted by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found there was reasonable cause to believe that the Providence Public School District was unlawfully discriminating against White teachers by only offering student loan forgiveness to non-White educators.  (Mesa Public Schools)

The group alleged that the Providence Public School District offered a program giving student loan forgiveness to new teachers available only to non-White educators. 

The complaint maintained that the Providence Public School District “engaged in a continuing violation and an ongoing pattern or practice of discrimination” with a student loan forgiveness program for newly and recently hired educators that is only accessible to non-White applicants, which was called the “Educator of Color Loan Forgiveness Program.”

The Providence Public School District reportedly said that recipients can have up to $25,000 of college loans forgiven once the teacher completes three consecutive years of teaching in the district. Eligibility requirements indicate recipients must “identify as Asian, Black, Indigenous, Latino, biracial, or multi-racial.” 

The EEOC final determination letter states that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, mandates that if violations are found, the Providence Public School District must work to bring a resolution. 

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The Providence Public School District reportedly said that recipients can have up to $25,000 of college loans forgiven once the teacher completes three consecutive years of teaching in the district.   (iStock)

It directs the Providence Public School District to contact the EEOC “within ten days upon your receipt of this letter to indicate your willingness to participate in EEOC’s conciliation program to address the violation noted in this letter of determination.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, William Jacobson, Cornell law professor and founder of the Equal Protection Project, said, “After almost three years of effort, EPP is seeing the legal pieces fall into place to stop this racist program and to hold those responsible accountable.”

“The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a formal investigation and now the EEOC has issued a finding of ‘reasonable cause’ to believe the civil rights laws were violated,” Jacobson said. “We are gratified by the findings of the EEOC, and look forward to the EEOC taking further legal action to vindicate the rights of hundreds, if not thousands, of White teachers who were subject to unlawful discriminatory treatment.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Providence Public School District for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. 

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Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.