NYC Public School Teachers Group Behind Pro-Hamas Walkouts Funded by Soros-Linked Foundation

Edited by: Fern Sidman

A group of New York City public school teachers promoting pro-Hamas student walkouts has received significant funding from the Tides Foundation, a social justice philanthropy linked to billionaire George Soros, according to a report that appeared on Saturday in The New York Post. This revelation sheds light on the financial backing of controversial actions in the city’s public schools.

Teachers Unite, a registered non-profit organization based in Manhattan’s Financial District, was granted $11,000 in 2023 from the Tides Foundation, as was reported by The Post. This foundation is known for supporting progressive causes and initiatives. According to tax filings and the organization’s website, Teachers Unite aims to “develop the leadership skills of progressive educators” and combat the “school-to-prison pipeline.”

In recent months, Teachers Unite has been at the forefront of organizing and promoting anti-Israel walkouts in New York City public schools. The group has actively held organizing meetings across various schools and shared materials encouraging student participation. As per the information provided in The Post report, on their Instagram account, they posted an eight-page toolkit for walkout participants, featuring slogans like “Free Palestine from the river to the sea” and calls to “Protect teachers facing retaliation from administration and parents for teaching about Palestine.”

Teachers Unite is led by co-executive directors Charlotte Pope and Bella Week, who do not appear in city payroll records. The organization’s leadership has connections to the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), one of New York’s most influential and far-left wing unions. The Post reported that at least one recent board member of Teachers Unite is a UFT member, indicating a close relationship between the two entities.

In 2022, Teachers Unite reported nearly $400,000 in revenue, according to IRS filings. As indicated in The Post report, the salaries of the executive directors reflect their significant roles in the organization, with Bella Week earning $66,000 and Charlotte Pope receiving $12,000.

The involvement of Teachers Unite in promoting politically charged student walkouts has sparked controversy and debate. Critics argue that such actions politicize the educational environment and potentially disrupt the learning process. Supporters, however, see these activities as vital expressions of free speech and political activism, particularly concerning social justice and international issues.

The funding from the Tides Foundation aligns Teachers Unite with a broader network of progressive organizations supported by George Soros. As was described in The Post report, Soros’s philanthropic efforts often focus on social justice, education reform, and civil rights, making his involvement in this context both notable and contentious.

The group has received significant financial backing from several progressive foundations, including the Tides Foundation, Radfund, and the Communities Transforming Policing Fund.

The Post report saoid that the Radfund focuses on aiding “frontline communities” and addressing “structural inequality,” while the Communities Transforming Policing Fund promotes alternatives to traditional policing and incarceration.

According to their annual report, Teachers Unite derives 80% of its funding from these three groups and several other similar organizations.

The Tides Foundation also supports WESPAC, another nonprofit that funds Within Our Lifetime and National Students for Justice in Palestine. The Post reported that these groups have been active in organizing campus demonstrations since the October 7 attacks on Israel. The encampments and protests that emerged across universities this spring indicate a broader network of coordinated activism.