Healey Leads Lawsuit Against DeVos for Delaying For-Profit College Rules

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) – Democratic attorneys general in 18 states and the District of Columbia are suing Education Secretary Betsy DeVos over her decision to suspend rules meant to protect students from abuses by for-profit colleges.

The lawsuit, led by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, 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 said DeVos’ decision is “a betrayal of her office’s responsibility and a violation of federal law.”