Attorney generals from 18 states across the country filed a suit against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Thursday, July 6 claiming that DeVos and her department broke federal law in order to side with for-profit colleges and universities.
California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia believe that DeVos has rescinded the Borrower Defense Rule that was established by the Obama Administration unlawfully.
According to The New York Times, the Borrower Defense Rule was scheduled to take effect July 1. However, the Department of Education decided to halt the new measures that would help borrowers pay back their loans. Those new measures would also have placed some of the risks back to the for-profit university industry by requiring schools at risk of closing to put up financial collateral. DeVos claims that a pending federal lawsuit filed in May by an association of for-profit colleges in California which plans on blocking the rules is the reason for not implementing the new measures.
MA is challenging Betsy DeVos's illegal attempt to protect fly-by-night schools that cheat students & bury them in mountains of debt.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 6, 2017
“Since day one, Secretary DeVos has sided with for-profit school executives against students and families drowning in unaffordable student loans,” said Maura Healey, Massachusetts attorney general, who leads the multistate coalition. “Her decision to cancel vital protections for students and taxpayers is a betrayal of her office’s responsibility and a violation of federal law.”
As goes California, so goes the nation — glad to see my state standing up to DeVos and for-profit colleges:https://t.co/SUUBbY8W5T
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 6, 2017
Betsy DeVos is trending which means one of three things…
– She is scamming
– She is being sued
– Someone found Dalmatians in her house— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) July 6, 2017
Additionally, the new measures would allow students to have their loans forgiven if a state has taken legal action against a for-profit school accused of taking advantage of students, per NPR.
"These rules served as critical protections against predatory for-profit schools that exploit hardworking students — students who are simply trying to invest in their own education and future," said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. He added, "When Washington abdicates its responsibility to protect New Yorkers, we won't hesitate to step in."
