Healey Leads Lawsuit Against DeVos Over For-Profit College Rules
BOSTON (CBS/AP) -- Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is leading a lawsuit against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos over her decision to suspend rules meant to protect students from abuses by for-profit colleges.
The lawsuit, joined by Democratic attorneys general in 18 states and the District of Columbia, was filed Thursday in federal court in Washington and demands implementation of borrower defense to repayment rules.
The rules aim to make schools financially responsible for fraud and forbid them from forcing students to resolve complaints outside court.
They were created under President Barack Obama's administration and were to take effect July 1.
On June 14, DeVos announced the rules would be delayed and rewritten, saying they created "a muddled process that's unfair to students and schools."
Healey says DeVos' decision is "a betrayal of her office's responsibility and a violation of federal law."
"Since day one, Secretary DeVos has sided with for-profit school executives against students and families drowning in unaffordable student loans," Healey said in a statement.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)