Zachary Schermele

Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY, where he covers national news about higher education and K-12 schools, federal education policy and its impact on students and staff across the country. He previously worked at POLITICO, NBC News, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and the Montana Television Network. Zachary graduated from Columbia University with a degree in political science and has experience as an award-winning editor at the Columbia Daily Spectator.

Biography:  https://www.usatoday.com/staff/8391697001/zachary-schermele/

89%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermines the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
Analysis.OverallConflictOfInterestScore * 0.3F + Analysis.OverallBiasScore * 0.3F + Analysis.DeceptivenessScore * 0.3F + Analysis.ReadabilityScore * 0.1F

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

The Daily's Verdict

This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.

Bias

92%

Examples:

  • The author occasionally presents information from L.G.B.T.Q. organizations without counterbalance.
  • The author sometimes uses emotive language that could influence readers' opinions.

Conflicts of Interest

100%

Examples:

  • No conflicts of interest detected.

Contradictions

87%

Examples:

  • In one article, the author states that California has banned school policies requiring employees to report students' sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression without their consent. However, in another article about student loan debt relief, the author suggests that certain life challenges may prevent borrowers from making progress on their loans.
  • The author reports on Biden's proposal for student loan debt relief but does not mention potential drawbacks or opposition to the plan.

Deceptions

75%

Examples:

  • The article on student loan debt relief contains misleading statements about the eligibility criteria for loan forgiveness.
  • The author implies that all borrowers with disabilities or high-cost burdens will receive relief when only those at risk of defaulting will be eligible.

Recent Articles

California Becomes First State to Ban Schools from Revealing Student Gender Identity Without Consent

California Becomes First State to Ban Schools from Revealing Student Gender Identity Without Consent

Broke On: Tuesday, 16 July 2024 California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed historic legislation in July 2024, making California the first state to prohibit schools from disclosing students' gender identity or pronouns without consent, aiming to protect transgender and nonbinary students' privacy. The law sets a precedent amidst rising concerns over conservative-led policies requiring such disclosures and potential consequences for outed students. Supporters argue for constitutional privacy rights, while opponents claim parents have a right to know. The law faces opposition from conservative organizations and individuals like Elon Musk.
Biden Proposes Ambitious New Student Debt Relief Plan

Biden Proposes Ambitious New Student Debt Relief Plan

Broke On: Thursday, 15 February 2024 The Biden administration proposes an ambitious new way to determine which low-income Americans could qualify for student debt relief. The plan would bring automatic relief for borrowers who are highly likely to be in default in two years, potentially giving forgiveness to hundreds of thousands of those borrowers at least.