Who Funds That?: Who Funds That? EP1: Cutting Class for the Radical Left

In the debut episode of Capital Research Center's 'Who Funds That?', hosts Michael Watson and Sarah Lee welcome Ryan Staley of Defending Education to expose what they describe as a coordinated effort by radical left organizations to infiltrate K-12 schools through youth-led movements like the Sunrise Movement. Staley reveals internal documents showing the Sunrise Movement’s shift from climate activism to a broader agenda of political revolution, including planned monthly school walkouts targeting whatever issue is trending—be it anti-ICE, anti-war, or racial justice. The episode highlights the role of teachers’ unions, particularly Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), in funding and coordinating these disruptions, often using school resources and even encouraging students to engage in surveillance-like activities. Staley also traces the funding network behind these efforts, including major foundations like Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations (George Soros), Tides Foundation, and the Arabella Network (now Sunflower Services), which operate under shifting names to avoid scrutiny. The discussion underscores how social media amplifies youth activism through dopamine-driven engagement, manipulating students into becoming unwitting agents of political mobilization. The hosts stress that while these activities are concentrated in major urban centers, the threat is nationwide due to systemic infiltration of education through unions, college of education curricula, and accreditation bodies. The episode concludes with a call to action for parents to monitor their local schools, use resources like DefendingEd.org’s protest tracker, and remain vigilant about ideological indoctrination in classrooms. Key takeaways include the realization that school walkouts are not spontaneous but strategically planned, that teachers’ unions are central to this network, and that the true power lies not just in money but in influence over curriculum, accreditation, and youth psychology. The hosts emphasize that the fight is not just about policy but about reclaiming public education from what they frame as a radical leftist takeover.