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New Satellite Images Show New Russian Troop Buildup In Belarus; Biden Aims To Build Momentum After Good Week For His Administration; Police Fatally Shoot Black Man Who Was Not Target Of Raid. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired February 06, 2022 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

AMARA WALKER, CNN HOST: Hi, everyone. Thanks for joining me. I'm Amara Walker, in today for Fredricka Whitfield.

And we begin this hour with a new warning about Russia's troop buildup along the border with Ukraine.

Two U.S. officials telling CNN that Russia now has about 70 percent of the troops and weapons in place for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

It is unclear how long it would take Russia to ramp up further.

Officials in the Biden administration and in Congress are warning not to underestimate how quickly that can happen.

[15:00:04]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-TX): It is more likely than not, I think the news is being prepared. It's around Ukraine right now as we speak.

These are dangerous times. Time is of the essence. This would be the largest invasion in Europe since World War II.

JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We believe that there is a very distinct possibility that Vladimir Putin will order an attack on Ukraine. It could take a number of different forms. It could happen as soon as tomorrow or it could take some weeks yet.

He has put himself in a position with military deployments to be able to act aggressively against Ukraine at any time now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: Another potentially troubling development, new satellite images appear to show Russia's military has also advanced its deployments at several locations in Belarus, within about 30 miles of its border with Ukraine.

CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, in Moscow, and Nic. I mean, what is your assessment of what we're seeing? It almost looks like Russia is in its final stages of combat readiness. NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, of course,

for weeks now, we've been hearing from U.S. officials and other officials, British officials saying look, if Russia is really serious about wanting a negotiation, a diplomatic track to open up here, then it should reduce the tension. If it really wants to have a discussion and get its issues addressed, then why the need for troops?

And Russia keeps insisting that it has no intention of invading Ukraine, but as a British Foreign Secretary said today, you know, Russia is creating completely the opposite impression because it continues to build up its forces presenting a very clear image of an ability to invade should it so choose.

So I think you have to take it as red that this is clearly what the Kremlin intends, this is clearly how they intend to negotiate not from a position where they're walking away from a buildup of forces, but one where they project a very real threat. That I think has been fairly clear from the beginning, but they are doubling down and emphasizing it, now, again, and into that, the French President, Emmanuel Macron comes tomorrow to essentially see if there is room for negotiation, a diplomatic track with President Putin.

Completely far apart on the central issue of what Putin wants in terms of NATO and what NATO is willing to give. Macron doesn't really have room for maneuver to bridge that, and indeed, what he says is coming to Moscow to do in part, the specific part for President Putin is to get him to agree to reduce the tensions.

You know, this track of this opportunity for diplomacy tomorrow, Macron's office says it's not going to happen in a day, and the reality is, you know, the Kremlin is sticking to exactly what it has been doing all along, and Putin really on this playing his cards very close to his chest, not even yet responding to the U.S. and NATO letters to him a week and a half ago now.

WALKER: Yes, he definitely has the entire world paying a lot of attention to him I am sure, as he wants. Nic Robertson in Moscow, thank you so much.

And this comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping held a Summit in Beijing, a pre-Olympic Summit just before the Games kicked off. The two called for an end to NATO expansion in Europe, which could potentially include Ukraine.

Joining us now is Max Baucus, former U.S. Ambassador to China and a former Democratic Senator from Utah. Ambassador, always great to have you on.

First of all, I just want to get your take on, I guess, you know, the strategy of the Biden administration. Is there one by making these Intelligence assessments public and calling out Russia, warning the public of potential fake videos from Russia staging an attack as a pretext for invasion of Ukraine?

MAX BAUCUS, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA: Well, first of all, my apologies to the people of Utah and Montana, I represented the State of Montana. I don't think, they'd be very happy in either Utah or --

WALKER: Apologies.

BAUCUS: To answer your question, I think that Putin, because he is one tough cookie, he is pushing as strongly as he can, in many, many fronts, not just military. There's also psychologically with nuclear maneuvers coming up. He is also meeting with President Xi in China.

He is doing all he can until he gets concessions from Europe, with respect to NATO. So this is all a huge, orchestrated piece on the part of President Putin.

WALKER: And I've got apologize for that. So sorry about that mistake, we'll make sure to correct that next time, Ambassador.

And, you know, let's talk more about that, you know, deep strategic partnership that was announced, you know, right after their pre- Olympics Summit, what do you make of this Putin-Xi new, I guess, Alliance and should the world see it as a threat?

[15:05:03]

BAUCUS: Well, I don't think it's really an alliance at all. It is a marriage of convenience. That is President Xi is putting on the Olympics. He wants to Olympics to be very successful. He is doing all that he can.

And President Putin has been playing all the pressure he can in Ukraine; and on NATO, he is doing all that he can and he sees going over and having a conference, a meeting with President Xi is another opportunity for him to exert more pressure on Europe.

So this just, I think, a meeting of convenience. They see this both as an opportunity to kind of embarrass the United States. A lot of this comes down to, frankly, how we are perceived, that is the United States is perceived by the world, not only President Xi and President Putin, but the world.

Many people are wondering, is America in decline? Is America as strong as it once was? How strong is America? And really, all this comes down to -- and how well we, Americans, turn that around? How well we Americans show that no, we're not in decline. We've passed the Infrastructure Bill. We're getting other legislation passed. We're focusing more on producing technologies that are so important to us like semiconductors.

The big problem here is the partisan divide in our country, and if we can somehow reduce that partisan divide in our country and show that we are unified as a country, that's going to go a long, long way, in pushing Putin back and also pushing back incursions by China.

WALKER: Yes, well, the reality is we're not united, and it seems like we are quite far from projecting that kind of unity, especially with the polarizing politics that is continuing to, you know, play out in real time.

You talk about the era of America as America as a superpower being tested right now.

How important is the Olympics right now for Xi Jinping, especially as he is going into his unprecedented third term. Is this about more of his image and cementing that authoritarian power?

BAUCUS: I think that's a lot of it. I think he is holding his breath. He is hoping that nothing bad goes wrong at the Olympics. He wants the Olympics to be a showcase where China can put on something very, very well, in very difficult times during COVID, for example. It's very hard to put on Olympics under those circumstances, especially when he's under a -- China is under lockdown. I mean, it's really hard.

Our athletes, as you know were complaining about how tight the lockdown is, and those poor athletes, frankly, they want to compete, yet they've got to compete under very, very difficult circumstances, but President Xi is doing what he can do project power, help shore up strength internally in China so he can get that third term. This is very important to him.

WALKER: And do you think if Russia were to launch a full invasion of Ukraine, would China support that?

BAUCUS: China certainly would support it as a friend of Russia, and China will support it by saying, sure that they're doing the right thing. That is NATO is too much of a threat that NATO is trying to, if not contain Russia, NATO is trying to push back on Russia, just like other countries are trying to contain China.

So he would be very-- if he speaks favorably of any potential evasion, there will be no Chinese military forces in in Ukraine. None. None whatsoever. Frankly, if you look at the Chinese history, they do not show that they're a country that has militarily invaded other countries. They just don't. Many people tend to forget that.

Frankly, we Americans sent troops to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran, and we have more of a history of sending our troops in other countries than do the Chinese. The Chinese will not send troops to Ukraine.

WALKER: And I do have to ask you about North Korea, Ambassador, before we let you go. I mean, they've been launching a new round of missile tests, and just this weekend, a United Nations report accused them of continuing to produce nuclear material for potential nuclear test or a missile launch. Have we -- I guess, is the world not prioritizing North Korea as it should in terms of it being a threat?

BAUCUS: Well, I think the answer to North Korea very much depends on whether we can get agreement with China. There will be no North Korean solution until -- let me put it this way. Any North Korean solution will go through China. We have to have Chinese acquiescence.

China cares deeply about the peninsula. China does not want the peninsula to be controlled by North Korea. China does not want the peninsula controlled by a South Korean government.

[15:10:06] BAUCUS: China likes the status quo, but China does not like Kim Jong-

un. Once I was talking with President Xi, it very much impressed me how irritated President Xi was with Kim Jong-un. He doesn't like Kim Jong-un. So any solution we try to impose on North Korea has to be through China.

WALKER: We're going to leave it there, former Ambassador to China and former U.S. Senator to the Great State of Montana, Max Baucus, thank you so much for being with us. Apologies once again. Thanks for joining us.

BAUCUS: Thank you, Amara.

WALKER: All right. Well, here in the U.S., President Biden is attempting to build off a very good week of momentum for his administration.

On Friday, the news that the economy added nearly 500,000 new jobs in January. COVID cases are continuing to drop and Biden ordered a successful attack on the leader of ISIS in Syria, and the President is poised to name a new Supreme Court nominee.

Despite the positive developments, Biden's social agenda remains stalled. Today, Senator Joe Manchin said the President's Build Back Better Plan is all, but dead, but he and G.O.P. Senator Murkowski -- Lisa Murkowski, say parts of it could be revived.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): The Build Back Better as it has been presented, over what -- the last seven, eight, nine months, that bill no longer will exist, okay? Should there be parts of it, you want to talk about different things, I think the President said there might be certain parts in this and that.

My biggest concern and my biggest opposition, it did not go through the process. Whether Lisa votes for it not being a Republican, she should have at least the opportunity to have input, it should have gone through the committee. These are major changes. It is going to change society as we know it.

And those changes should be in a hearing. There should be a markup. And then you're going to have a better product whether your friends on the other side vote for it or not, but they have to have input.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Have you talked to President Biden?

SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-AK): We could work on energy and climate if we went through the committee.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: CNN's John Harwood is joining us now from the White House. Hi, John.

So how is the President hoping to build on his current momentum? Where is he going to put his focus?

JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's got a lot of good things happening, Amara, as you've just suggested, opportunity to choose a Supreme Court Justice, a very strong economy; yes, affected negatively by inflation, but nonetheless, great job market, helping people in particular at the bottom end of the scale. He did have that successful ISIS raid, and in addition to that, there is the reason to hope for better news on the pandemic, as omicron recedes.

There seems to be a growing awareness and desire within his party as well as among more conservative Americans to move beyond the pandemic, try to get into that endemic phase with less restrictions, where people recognize that vaccinations are the principal thing we can do, masking in certain situations, but try to get more back to normal. That could have an effect of lifting the public mood.

He has also got a chance for a bipartisan legislative accomplishment on this bill to invest $50 billion in new semiconductor manufacturing, which is something that has fed a lot of economic problems we have, shortage of ships, for example, makes it harder to make automobiles and that makes the price of automobiles go up.

Some of the Build Back Better elements that Joe Manchin and Lisa Murkowski were talking about are going to be revived. So, he's got a better story to tell in 2022 than the latter part of 2021.

The question is, is that going to help him politically? There is no guarantee of that whatsoever. It's more going to be over the next several months, if we see the public mood lift, people see themselves getting past the pandemic, that's going to be the key to a potential revival for President Biden.

WALKER: Yes, a lot having to do with how the people feel about what is going on. John Harwood, appreciate you live for us at the White House. Thanks.

HARWOOD: You bet.

WALKER: All right, coming up, an incredible rescue caught on video as a SWAT team arrest the man accused of kidnapping an employee at Mike Bloomberg's ranch in Colorado.

And later, a U.S.-born Chinese figure skater is under attack on Chinese social media after falling on her Olympic debut.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:18:34]

WALKER: New details today, the search is over for the man police say rammed his truck through a gate at Mike Bloomberg's ranch in Colorado kidnapping an employee at gunpoint as he hunted for the billionaire's daughters.

CNN's Camila Bernal joining me now. And Camila, let's start with this brand new video released to CNN showing a SWAT team there arriving at the motel where the suspect was hiding out and they were able to rescue the woman who was kidnapped. Walk us through this incredible rescue.

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so when authorities arrived to that motel, they were able to arrest Joseph Beecher, and they say he had an AR-15 and a handgun. So thankfully the woman that he had kidnapped was okay and she was able to go back home to her family.

But let's start from the beginning. Authorities say that this began on Wednesday at around 10:15 in the morning and surveillance video showed Beecher arriving to the ranch belonging to the Bloomberg's and he got out of his truck assessing the front gates, then he got back into his truck and rammed it through that gate, was able to get inside the ranch and that is when he found this employee that is not being named in many of the documents that we have been going through.

But once inside, those documents say that this man began to ask the employee where the Bloomberg's were, specifically asking for his daughter's by name. Going on rants about Michael Bloomberg and saying that he would shoot her face off.

He said he wanted to create an international scene, but then he realized that the Bloomberg's were not at the ranch, and so he asked this employee to get into her truck and drive him around.

[15:20:17]

BERNAL: So that's exactly what she did. They had to get out in a gas station, put in some gas, then they went to an ATM, and she had to get out and get money.

She says she tried to mouth the words "help me" so that if authorities watched the surveillance video from the ATM, they would be able to help her. Eventually, though, what was the key and all of this was her iPad, because authorities were able to track that iPad to Wyoming, to that motel where the SWAT team arrived, and that is when they were able to arrest him.

He is facing a number of charges, including a Federal kidnapping charge. This is of course, extremely serious. We're waiting to hear who his attorney will be, to hopefully get more information on that. But we did hear from a spokesperson from the Bloomberg's who said that they're just thankful to authorities for bringing this employee back to her family -- Amara.

WALKER: Yes, it's incredible that she was not injured. Thank goodness. Camila Bernal, thank you so much for that.

Now to just a horrific story, a Navy SEAL candidate has died and another is hospitalized in San Diego after completing a training phase known as "hell week." The Navy says 24-year-old Kyle Mullen of New Jersey died at a California hospital following training on Friday. The cause of his death is now under investigation. The injured candidate is in stable condition at Naval Medical Center, San Diego. "Hell Week" is considered the pinnacle of training for Navy SEALs and

consists of five days in which trainees are constantly cold, hungry, sleep deprived, and wet.

Dramatic new video shows a police crossing guard narrowly saving a young student from an oncoming car. This happened in Maryland on Friday. The student was walking in the crosswalk in front of the school there you see it -- oh my goodness -- when a car failed to yield and nearly hit the child.

The police corporal was able to pull the student out of the way of the oncoming car just before impacting. You see all the people running to help. The crossing guard suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from the hospital.

The driver was cited for multiple citations including driving negligent. Wow. Just incredible video there.

Still ahead, the Minneapolis Police Department is under scrutiny again after police fatally shoot and kill a 22-year-old man while executing a no-knock warrant despite the man not being the target of any of their warrants. More than that, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:27:26]

WALKER: In Minneapolis this weekend, thousands joined in a march outside of the Hennepin County Government Center to honor the life of Amir Locke. The 22-year-old Black man was fatally shot in seconds Wednesday as Minneapolis Police Officers executed a no-knock warrant.

Locke was not the target of the warrant. Marchers call for immediate changes like removing the Mayor and interim Police Chief. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar responded on Twitter to the shooting saying in part: "We must ensure that our communities are safe, which includes making long overdue changes to our justice system." Minneapolis Police released bodycam video of the fatal shooting of Amir Locke, which we must warn you is disturbing.

CNN's Omar Jimenez has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Just before 7:00 AM, Wednesday, a Minneapolis Police SWAT team uses a key to enter a city apartment. Then burst through the doorway searching the apartment police say tied to a St. Paul homicide investigation.

Instead, they found 22-year-old Amir Locke appearing to be sound asleep on the couch. Locke then seems to wake up when they kick the couch and body camera footage shows him holding a gun.

INTERIM CHIEF AMELIA HUFFMAN, MINNEAPOLIS POLICE: You can see along with an individual emerging from under the blanket the barrel of a gun. The involved officer was just outside the frame in the direction that that barrel is emerging from the blanket.

JIMENEZ (voice over): CNN has not been able to confirm where the officer is, but as Locke begins to stand, three shots.

HUFFMAN: The officer had to make a split second decision to assess the circumstances and determine whether he felt like there was an articulable threat, that the threat was of imminent harm.

JIMENEZ (voice over): Locke's family said he was in legal possession of a firearm when he was shot. The family and their attorney criticized police procedure.

JEFF STORMS, FAMILY ATTORNEY: No lawful gun owner could have survived this situation.

TONY ROMANUCCI, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: This is the definition of no knock than seven seconds. Seven seconds that's it, and Amir had no choice.

JIMENEZ (voice over): It's unclear if this particular breach was originally designated as a no-knock warrant, but attorneys also took issue with the timing before the shooting.

STORMS: There is no announcement prior to entering that threshold, and they give Amir no time to save his own life, and that is something that we don't see white citizens encounter and the fact that it is happening in Minneapolis again is beyond tragic.

[15:30:08]

JIMENEZ (voice over): After the shooting, police say they immediately provided aid and officers carried Locke to the lobby to meet paramedics.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 1280 ambulance on the seventh floor.

JIMENEZ (voice over): Locke was then taken to a local hospital where he died.

Police now say he was not named in any search warrants.

HUFFMAN: But, at this point, it is unclear if or how he is connected to St. Paul's investigation.

JIMENEZ (voice over): The subject of the warrant wasn't found in the apartment and the Minneapolis Police officer who fired his weapon, Mark Hanneman is on administrative leave per department policy.

Locke's mother spoke out today expressing outrage over her son's killing.

KAREN WELLS, AMIR LOCKE'S MOTHER: I believe that he was executed by the MPD, and I want the police officer that murdered my son to be prosecuted and fired.

JIMENEZ (voice over): Police say they are now assessing whether proper procedures were followed and the Mayor of Minneapolis is promising a full criminal investigation of the shooting.

MAYOR JACOB FREY (D), MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: This video raises about as many questions as it does answer. Truth and justice must be our guiding principles.

JIMENEZ (voice over): As the Interim Chief and the Mayor left the room, activists expressed frustration.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When will you release a search warrant?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How is walking out of a press conference transparency? You are a murderer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what we've been fighting against since George Floyd was killed, running away from accountability and transparency.

ANDRE LOCKE, AMIR LOCKE'S FATHER: My son --

JIMENEZ (voice over): Locke's father trying to control his emotions said his son was a law-abiding citizen from a law enforcement family, and wants the officer to be held accountable.

LOCKE: He forced Amir to respond to protect himself as any law-abiding citizen will do and has the right to do.

JIMENEZ (on camera): Now, the officer, Mark Hanneman has been placed on routine administrative leave but there are also questions about what put him in this situation in the first place. Mayor Jacob Frey issued a moratorium on no-knock warrants unless there is an imminent threat and it has been signed off on by the Chief of Police.

Separately, the St. Paul Police Department announced no arrests have been made in the homicide investigation that prompted what became the shooting.

Omar Jimenez, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: All right, coming up, why a U.S.-born figure skater competing for China in the Winter Olympics is under attack on Chinese social media?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:37:04]

WALKER: As the Winter Olympics continue in Beijing, headlines are being dominated not by who is winning, but who fell short.

Chinese social media is on fire after U.S.-born figure skaters, Zhu Yi, who is representing China finished last in the women's short program team event. CNN's David Culver is in Beijing.

Your heart goes out to her to see what she went through. This was her debut, and she is -- I mean, she is getting crushed by people on social media there in China.

DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: She sure is, Amara. All of this centers around this 19-year-old falling hard, crashing into the wall in her opening combination, then later in the program, Zhu Yi missed another jump. She finished with the lowest score of the event that brought Team China down to fifth place in the standings.

Now, here is where all of this gets really personal. Zhu who was born in the U.S. to a Chinese immigrant family decided to compete for China in 2018. So, she gave up her American citizenship.

She even changed her name from Beverly Zhu to Zhu Yi. She was eager to prove herself to the Chinese public. Instead, she is facing this firestorm of backlash because of her performance.

Now, on Chinese social media. The hashtag, #ZhuYiHasFallen gained 200 million views in just a few hours. Many online questioning why Zhu was picked to represent China at the expense of an athlete born in this country. She has faced criticism here before for not being able to speak fluent Chinese.

One comment on Sunday reading: "Please let her learn Chinese first before she talks about patriotism." Now, let me show you what Zhu had to say after the program and she was crying. She was wiping away tears. She said, quote: "I'm upset and a little embarrassed." She goes on to say, "I guess, I felt a lot of pressure because I know everybody in China was pretty surprised with the selection for ladies' singles, and I just really wanted to show them what I was able to do. But unfortunately, I didn't."

This highlights the huge pressure Chinese athletes face to get results at the Olympics. The Olympics are a really big deal for the Chinese especially when they're hosting. Medal counts have long been touted by the Chinese government even as a sign of national strength. In fact, China in recent years has recruited at least a dozen foreign born athletes including Zhu hoping to bolster its medal count at the Winter Games.

We should note, Zhu's experience, very different from the hugely popular California born Eileen Gu. The freestyle skiing prodigy also competing for China, but at 18, Gu has really charmed the Chinese public. She is fluent in Mandarin. She spent summers here in Beijing so she knows Chinese culture and that has earned her major endorsements here in China, who by the way is due to make her Olympic debut in just a few hours.

But Amara, interesting to note, the stark contrast between these two and how they are being received here amidst what is a rising nationalism that we've seen living here firsthand.

[15:40:04]

WALKER: And I'm sure a lot has to do with these culture wars and the fact that she does not speak the language and of course is also American born. I just feel bad for her. It was her debut. We wish her the best and I'm sure she will recover from this. David Culver, thank you so much.

Well, we are one week away from Super Bowl 56. Just one week away. Wow. Well, the Cincinnati Bengals and LA Rams are gearing up for the game, but the Bengals say they are bringing a secret weapon with them.

The Bengals' viral sensation, Mic Cart on the way to LA for the big game. The three-tiered metal cart started gaining attention in October when it was used to conduct interviews because of COVID restrictions. Initially mocked, it has now become a beloved member of Bengal Nation.

It's unclear what role it will play for the game, but of course, we will all be watching. Innovative idea.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:45:34]

WALKER: Two years since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and stress levels are palpable. Now, educators are sounding the alarm about mental health for young students.

And in Denver, a new program aiming to help kids struggling during these difficult times. CNN's Evan McMorris-Santoro has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why else do we think it's important to talk about our mood first thing in the morning?

Do we say mean words to them?

GROUP: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, right?

EVAN MCMORRIS-SANTORO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A different kind of bell rang in one Denver Public School recently, a calming sound for students who educators say are still stressed out two years into a global pandemic.

A new district wide requirement for all students, at least 20 minutes devoted to mental health, every grade, every classroom, every day.

RENARD SIMMONS, PRINCIPAL, DENVER CENTER FOR 21ST CENTURY LEARNING: And we found that they come back a lot of times to show their former selves prior to the pandemic. And so we understand we have to be patient, we have to persevere.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO (voice over): Schools are where this emotional trauma shows up.

CESAR RIVERA, PRINCIPAL, SAMUELS ELEMENTARY: So that human connection piece, and being able to respond to one another just human to human, that was something that some of our kids lost out on.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO (voice over): The process is different for each age group. For these kindergarteners, red light, green light is a lesson in what to do when emotions boil over.

JACKIE RIVAS, THIRD GRADE TEACHER, SAMUELS ELEMENTARY: When we play games like this. Sometimes, we might feel those strong feelings, okay, like mad, maybe if we don't do it the right way. Or nervous. What can you do to help yourself stay calm?

CHILDREN: Take a belly breath.

RIVAS: Yes. Stop. Name your feeling and take a belly breath.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO (voice over): Down the hall in third grade, show and tell is students share what was good and bad about the day before.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO (on camera): Show of hands, who likes morning meeting? And can somebody tell me what do you like about it?

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: What I like about the morning meeting is the good things.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: What's the secret to getting a third grader to open up about how they feel?

RIVAS: I think waiting is important, so making sure that they know that they don't just have to share a good thing, just making it very open.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO (voice over): This is called social emotional learning, or SEL, and it can be controversial.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop teaching SEL and badgering high school and take emergency action to remove it now.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO (voice over): In some states, parents groups which have criticized districts over masking and equity curricula are also angry about SEL. They call it a distraction from academics or even indoctrination.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO (on camera): What is your response when people say this isn't real school? School should be books and timetables and you know, phonics. Why am I talking about my feelings?

KIM PRICE, DIRECTOR OF SEL, DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS: I think it's talking about feelings is a great place to start, but we have to teach people how to interact with each other because I think we really are arming them with life skills to be successful and to talk about what we're going through right now, and because we have to be ready to learn.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: Was it hard to be online for so long?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I hated it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I failed all my classes. Like I failed my sixth grade --

MCMORRIS-SANTORO (voice over): Eighth grade teacher Jackie Rivas experiences the problems middle schoolers are having firsthand.

AMANDA WINTERS, EIGHTH GRADE TEACHER, DENVER CENTER FOR 21ST CENTURY LEARNING: These girls were in sixth grade when they were last in school before this year. Our sixth graders were in fourth grade when they were last in school. And so meeting the bar that is kind of expected of a sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth whatever grader they're being asked to meet both that kind of behavioral and developmental bar and that academic bar, and they miss out on both of them.

So it's hard to meet academic one when you're still trying to figure out, how do I stop being a fourth grader?

MCMORRIS-SANTORO (voice over): It's 1:45 PM on a Thursday.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO (on camera): Hi.

ANNA BRANTON, TEACHER, WEST HIGH SCHOOL: Hi.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: I'm Evan.

BRANTON: Hi, Evan.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: CNN, nice to see you.

BRANTON: Hi, Even. I'm Anna, West High School.

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: So what usually goes on in this room?

BRANTON: So I teach Language Arts and I teach English Language Development, but we also do advisory. Today, we're going to do some gratitude and some goal-setting for academics but we're also going to do mindfulness.

We are one of the only schools that has somebody that does yoga and plans mindfulness for us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're going to do some breathing and then we'll do a little meditation or visualization. Let your breath soften --

And the connection with their peers which they've been missing so much during the pandemic and during remote learning, we want to make sure that we have cushioned it so we have that 20 minutes within there to really focus on the social emotional piece.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[15:50:14]

WALKER: Fascinating piece by Evan McMorris-Santoro. Thanks for that.

I want to bring in Sal Khan now. He is the founder and CEO of Khan Academy. Sal, thank you for your time. You're no stranger to online learning, obviously. But we also know that kids learn more than what's just in books at school, right? I mean, there are social lessons to be learned in the school setting, learning how to interact, learning how to disagree, have a debate.

And what really struck me was listening to that teacher, that eighth grade teacher who told Evan that there are sixth graders in Denver, who had not been in a classroom setting since fourth grade. That's a huge difference -- fourth grade to sixth grade, and they're just kind of being parachuted in now, unfortunately. What kind of impact does that have on these kids?

SAL KHAN, FOUNDER AND CEO, KHAN ACADEMY: It has a hugely negative impact, if they don't have a chance to build some of these muscles, a lot of them -- a lot of these muscles happen implicitly when you and I were in school, but sometimes not ideally and to be able to take the time and invest, especially when we've gone through what we've just gone through, it's even more important.

You know, Khan Academy, obviously, it's an online resource, not for profit for people to learn. And we have all of these efficacy studies that have students are able to put in 20 minutes a day, 30 minutes a day, even 30 minutes a week, it can really grow them, accelerate them. But then we see that the reasons why students aren't able to do that has everything to do with social and emotional learning. How do they deal with adversity? Are they resilient enough? How do they deal with frustration? Can they label their emotions?

These are useful skills, not just as a student, these are things that I struggled with sometimes like, okay, why am I angry right now? Okay. I get it now. I'm able to be more comfortable.

WALKER: Yes, absolutely. That's such a critical part of growing up, right? And learning that and I wonder, I mean, first of all, right, we were all reminded, especially during the pandemic, during the beginning of it, at least I was just how critical it is to have human interaction, human connection, especially now for these growing minds.

Do you think that these children will be able to make up for all of this last time, and I'm talking about an entire generation, right?

KHAN: Yes, I don't want to sugarcoat it. There has been damage done over the last couple of years. We definitely see it on the academic test scores. Now, the unfortunate thing is, we can't measure social emotional learning the same way that you might be able to measure Math proficiency or Reading proficiency.

But as that segment just showed, the damage is real, and it is heartening to see that people are starting to invest in it in this way. And you see this trend, not just in schools, you're seeing adults who otherwise very successful, but they're like, I just need to get my head in order. You're seeing a whole trend of mindfulness, which is really just getting to a point where you're not frazzled by everything around you and that you're able to get to a point of stillness.

I meditate every day and find it invaluable.

WALKER: Yes, and it is so important to focus on the whole child, the whole human being, right? You know, we're also seeing this crisis among teachers, Sal, I have to bring up, I mean, shortages of teachers being reported across the country as a lot of educators now are walking away from their profession because of this lingering pandemic. And, of course, you know, there are several other issues confounding the fact.

What happens when there is no one left to teach? I mean, how do you address this problem? This is a crisis.

KHAN: It is a crisis, and I think as a parent, we've all recognized just how much effort it is working with our children, not just to get them to learn, but to help get them to self-regulate, and to do their work, and stay focused, and all of that.

And so I think we all have appreciation for the day in day out that teachers do every day, and that is why a lot of them have been getting burned out. So I think we have to look at ways to prevent that burnout, we have to look at ways to continue to attract or even attract more folks into the profession.

And what I tell educators all the time, it's like, in the airplane, you've got to put your own oxygen mask on before you worry about others. Teachers really need to be in a good place.

At Khan Academy, people would think this is very off brand for Khan Academy, because they associate us with practice in Math and academics. We've been making meditations for teachers to remind themselves just something that takes two or three minutes so that they can get to a good place. Because if they're not in a good place, it's going to be that much harder for their students to get there as well.

WALKER: But, you know, how do you bring these teachers? How do you attract them, especially when their wages are low? And it's also confounded by the fact that we're dealing with the pandemic and there's quarantines and, and you know, many teachers may say that they feel like their health is now being put at risk, right, with some mask mandates or no vaccine mandates.

How do you attract teachers, especially quality ones?

KHAN: I think we are in a central question. There are many incredible folks that despite all of the hurdles, all of the frictions of becoming an educator, I would say the majority of educators are very, very strong and passionate about what they're doing, but then it's also hard to stay in the profession in many, many cases.

So, I do think we have to look at how do we make it more sustainable? How do we make sure that teachers are in a healthier place?

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KHAN: I'm on the Board of a school that we started, we're looking at the same questions, how can we make the profession so that I don't think anyone goes to a teacher become a millionaire, but at least so that they can have a solid middle class life, be able to provide for their families, I think there's ways to do it. If you look at the average per student cost for a lot of school

districts, it could be $20,000.00 or $30,000.00 in certain states, but very little of that is going to the teacher. So I think there might be even ways to look at it in terms of becoming more efficient in terms of where the resources are going.

WALKER: It is such an important conversation that really impacts our future. Sal Khan, thank you for your time, and thank you for what you do.

KHAN: Thanks for having me.

WALKER: I'm Amara Walker, CNN NEWSROOM continues with Jim Acosta after the break.

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