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

Hello, I’m Michael Watson joined by Sarah Lee and this is our first episode of Capital Research Center’s “Who Funds That?” podcast. I am fond of reminding anyone who will hear me that organized labor is an institutional pillar of “Everything Leftism,” the omnibus ideology of progressive-liberal-socialist politics that relies on every single issue—yes, including that one—has one right answer and every issue relies on all issues following the party line. Today’s guest, Rhyen Staley of Defending Education, found documents from the Sunrise Movement, the radical left mobilization group that has shifted focus from the Green New Deal and environmentalism toward the full Everything Leftist agenda, that further prove these ties. He joins us today to discuss his research on Sunrise Movement’s guide to planned school disruptions and the role of the teachers’ unions in supporting them.

A Sunrise Movement training guidebook calls for students to ‘take action monthly’ to ‘disrupt business as usual’ to bring about a ‘political revolution’

Newly obtained slides from a Sunrise Movement membership meeting calls for a ‘political revolution’ that includes the ‘need to structurally change the foundations of this country’ to achieve ‘Eco-socialism, [a] multi-racial democracy, and Green New Deal legislation’

A May Day 2026 Host Toolkit includes training information for a “coordinated day of action” and promotes tactics such as a school ‘walk-in’; NEA provided $1.7M in funding to organization involved with training.

K-12 Student Walkout and Protest Tracker