One of the most powerful teachers’ unions in America has given literally millions of dollars to leftist groups in the last decade, explaining exactly why so many students and teachers are proud of participating in Communist May Day protests.
The National Education Association (NEA), the biggest U.S. teachers’ union, with millions of members, has contributed significantly to the tune of more than a billion dollars from state and local unions to radical leftist groups and political action committees (PACs) since 2015, according to information from Defending Education shared with PJ Media. A horrifying number of the teachers and administrators in charge of public education are little more than socialist activists. It should be no surprise that Chicago educators — like teachers in multiple other blue cities — are giving students a field trip to engage in Commie May Day protests. That is just a symptom of a much deeper problem. The NEA has also called Donald Trump a “fascist” and promoted radical transgender ideology.
🚨Public schools just canceled classes across dozens of major districts so kids and teachers could skip real learning and protest capitalism on May Day.
Meanwhile high schoolers can’t even read at an elementary level. pic.twitter.com/jKBlLxAJVt
— Don Keith (@RealDonKeith) May 1, 2026
Paul Runko, director of Strategic Initiatives for K-12 Programs at Defending Education, told PJ Media, “Parents are often surprised to learn that the dues teachers pay to unions ultimately support political campaigns and organizations that do not reflect their values or the values of many educators themselves. A review of the groups receiving funding reveals a long list of ideological organizations, including Planned Parenthood, GLSEN, and Southern Poverty Law Center [SPLC].”
The U.S. Justice Department recently brought charges against the SPLC for fraud committed while the group secretively funneled millions of dollars to white supremacists and other extremists. As for Planned Parenthood, it is, of course, an abortion giant, and there is a sick irony in teachers’ unions literally funding the genocide of the next generation of students.
For our VIPs: Healthcare Workers Who Want Trump Dead and the Danger of Politics in Medicine
Hence, Runko emphasized, “At this point, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) increasingly operate as political organizations, not as educational ones, and the public should view them accordingly. Teachers should feel empowered to opt out of these unions that do not align with their personal beliefs, and parents should pay close attention to the policies and ideological priorities their local and state teachers unions are promoting in schools.”
Defending Education’s findings, shared with PJ Media, highlighted the National Education Association’s funding for far-left advocacy groups, including Midwest Academy, which received over $1.7 million since 2015. Among Midwest Academy’s Commie propagandizing was a “May Day” toolkit and a “Four Weeks of Power” series. Defending Education discovered that national teachers’ unions have given over $660 million to leftist groups and PACs since 2015. Meanwhile, during the same period, state and local unions gave more than $336 million, providing a total of over $1 billion from American teachers’ unions to lefties. And these same teachers love to encourage students to engage in protests like the anti-ICE riots or May Day events.
May Day The Red-Alliance Color Revolution!
Teachers, students, Unions, all are participants in the Marxist economic blackout today!
When will the DOJ & Treasury Department stop this intentional attempt to destroy America from within?
Neville Singham CCP connected “Red-Green… pic.twitter.com/3QXDIQqqMf
— Andrea Shaffer, Anti-Marxist Warrior (@Andreafreedom76) May 1, 2026
Rhyen Staley, director of Research at Defending Education, urged in a statement shared with PJ Media, “These May Day protests should be a revelation to the public that the teachers’ unions and their allies care far more about their political agenda and power than actually educating the children they are paid to serve. It is one thing to engage in performative demonstrations on one’s personal time, but shutting down schools and forcing families to find alternative child care so the unions and activists can advance radical left-wing politics is obscene and unprofessional. American children and their families deserve far better from education leadership and institutions.” Indeed, they do.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy PJ Media’s conservative reporting on the woke left and violent activism? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
