Kevin Mahnken

Kevin Mahnken is a Senior Writer at The 74. He has experience coordinating the publication of research studies and writing articles on education news and politics for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Prior to that, he wrote about national politics and culture for The New Republic, interned at the National Endowment for the Humanities, and interned in the United States Senate. His freelance work has been published in various publications including The Atlantic.

Biography:  https://www.the74million.org/about/team/kevin-mahnken/

73%

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

75%

Examples:

  • The author endorses high-profile allies like Sen. Ted Cruz and implies that their defeat would lead to the implementation of ESAs.
  • The author expresses a clear bias towards the enactment of Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) in Texas and against conservative opponents of this policy.

Conflicts of Interest

100%

Examples:

  • The author mentions a major donor, Yass, who personally donated $6 million to Abbott and has also given to PACs backing pro-voucher candidates. The author does not disclose any personal or financial connections to Yass or the organizations mentioned.

Contradictions

75%

Examples:

  • The author states that if certain incumbents lose their elections, ESAs may be enacted and Texas could become the biggest school choice marketplace in the country. However, they also mention that data shows that a majority of scholarships or vouchers are going to wealthier families already enrolled in private schools.
  • The author states that ten states passed or expanded school-choice laws in 2023 alone and mentions the number of students flocking to these programs. However, they also mention that data shows that the majority of scholarships or vouchers are going to wealthier families.

Deceptions

40%

Examples:

  • The author implies that if certain incumbents fall, ESAs will be enacted and Texas will become the biggest school choice marketplace in the country. However, they do not mention any specific timeline or legislation related to this claim.
  • The author states that national donors and advocacy groups have taken a close interest in the electoral fight and are funding GOP insurgents to the tune of millions of dollars. However, they do not mention that these same organizations have also funded the incumbents or provided support for both sides.

Recent Articles

Governor Abbott's School Voucher Plan Sparks Republican Civil War in Texas: A Battle for Education and Power

Governor Abbott's School Voucher Plan Sparks Republican Civil War in Texas: A Battle for Education and Power

Broke On: Monday, 20 May 2024 Governor Greg Abbott's push for a school-voucher program in Texas ignites a Republican civil war, with national interests and state elections intertwined. Abbott targets conservative opponents, leading to high-stakes primaries on May 28, 2023. The outcome could make Texas the biggest school choice marketplace by 2025.