us on this. we appreciate it. let's talk about what the fd sa meeting on today, the johnson & johnson booster. a recommendation from the studies of johnson & johnson. this booster to be administered two to six months after that initial dose. of course, we know that's different than moderna and pfizer recommendations for them. talk me through what you expect to hear today from the fda when it comes to the johnson & johnson booster. >> good morning. great to be here. we've been talking to the 15 million americans who received one shot of johnson & johnson and formally about this issue for many months. before all the advisory committees, the fda and the cdc was the question does a second shot of johnson & johnson, is that indicated? the answer is absolutely, it is. because we do believe that a second shot for this one shotters is going to get them 90 plus% protection against hospitalization. the question to your point is what's the dosing interval? is it two months after the first shot, six months after that first shot? it looks like two months is probably going to get approved. the question about mixing and matching, it is pretty darn clear at this point based on our overseas experiences, what our friends in england and canada have done with their mixing and matching strategies and an nih trial here published earlier this week that mixings and matching is safe and effective. better than getting a second shot of j&j. they're going to discuss the issue, but there's no sense they're going to approve a mix/match strategy today. i wish they did, but it's a week or two off. >> expand on that. if, in fact, they approve a johnson & johnson booster shot for folks, should they wait on some answers to come out when it comes to mixing and matching or should they go ahead and start getting the booster? >> i would wait. i think if there's a one shot j&j out there, wait for the next -- if you can, i recognize that's easy for me to say this, but i suspect the nih, cdc, fda, they're going to be wrestling with the mix and match strategy. there's going to be a week or so lag. there will be guidance, and i think there's going to be an enormous amount of pressure on the cdc and fda to clear mixed and match. the world experience with mix and match is that it is very safe and effective, and frankly, giving a second shot of moderna or pfizer was provided vastly more protection to one shot johnson & johnsoners than getting a second shot of j&j. the data is there on safety and effectiveness. it should be a week or two after the meeting today. >> what about mixing and matching for those that had two shots of moderna or pfizer? any studies on that? >> here's the -- there are. the challenge here is that the mix and match strategy is using moderna as that third shot. if you got two shots of pfizer -- those shots didn't -- they didn't study the question of this reduced dose. for everybody out there, you know, not only are we talking about different mix and match strategies but moderna, if you got two shots, you're getting a third shot, that's a reduced dose. what we did not study in the trials is if you got j&j, what about the half dose of moderna? they give everybody a full dose. we're going to have to sort this out. if you got a shot of j&j, do you get a full dose or half dose of the booster? that dosing issue is nuanced, but it's going to be important. >> let's talk about the recommendations that we got yesterday from the fda when it came to the moderna booster. 65 and older recommended to get the booster shot. also those that are immune compromised. all adults immune compromised. do you agree with that recommendation? >> i think it was important to be consistent. so six weeks ago when the president said if you want a booster, you'll be able to get it, people took that to heart. my patients, many of my colleague's patients took that to heart. it was virtually impossible. you see these from the vaccine experts on the advisory committees. for them to do anything other than what they did. it was basically say for the same high risk group of people, if you got two shots of moderna, we'll give you a reduced dosing of a third shot of moderna to remain consistent. you also heard that the data showing that there was waning immunity if you got two shots of moderna, even if you were high risk, wasn't there. with pfizer, there was really world evidence if you were over 65 or high risk, it seemed like many months out from the two-dose regimen, you may not be as protected. but the same data did not exist as robust or in a compelling way. this was made to be consistent, less so based on the science. >> stick with me. i want to talk about the former president clinton's condition. we are following breaking news on former president bill clinton. right now the former president remaining in the hospital in southern california. he's being treated for a noncovid-related infection. a clinton spokesperson said he is, quote, on the mend and in good spirits. we are outside the hospital in orange california. give us an update on what we know so far on former president bill clinton. >> reporter: well, i think the best way to encapsulate this is not out of the woods, but the trajectory is very good. we're hearing that in statements from inside uci, from the clinton medical team back in new york. this all started tuesday night. the president -- former president in town for a clinton foundation event. feeling sick and fatigued. goes into the hospital. doctors have a diagnosis of a your logical illness, perhaps a uti that expanded and turned into an infection that good into the bloodstream. certainly something that is very concerning. but i think the best piece of information we got is simply for the fact that the former president is up. he's been walking around. he's taken a few steps. he's in good spirits. he's interacting with doctors and staff inside there. there were some concerns. one concern was the possibility of sepsiso septic shock. there was reporting he was in intensive care. it turns out that was for privacy concerns. and there's concerns because of the former president's medical history. especially when it comes to his heart. having that 2004 bypass, more stents in him in 2010. obviously they're worried about any exacerbation of former conditions he's had. by all accounts, and that's including doctors that are inside the hospital, he's doing well. the expectation is he will recover and be back home shortly. >> dr. gupta, give me your assessment as we're listening to the reporting from steve patterson. you got a uti that seeped into the bloodstream of the former president. he is as we all know over 70 years of age. he has some co-morbidities, some stents and heart conditions in his past. talk me through what your assessment here is. >> well, i think the former president is fortunate he had early intervention. for a urinary -- an infection in the urine, bladder, kidneys, we don't know where the infection started in the former president, but somewhere there, for that to transmit from the urine to the blood is significant and severe. if left untreated, that could easily result in death. sepsis causes 20% of worldwide deaths year over year. this is serious. last night when we were chatting about this, it was not clear. was he in icu because he was in shock? he didn't have enough blood in his vital organs? it sounds like that was not the case. he was in the icu for privacy reasons. that's significant. that tells us the severity of his illness. it sounds like he did not have low blood pressure and might have had bacteria in his blood, but they intervened early enough to prevent those worsening and downstream outcomes like blow blood pressure, maybe kidney injury, you name it. and most significantly for the former president is this notion of what this meant for his heart. if he did progress to septic shock, if he did not have early intervention, any type of infection always stresses the heart, especially somebody with a preexisting heart condition like the former president. so it is good that he got early intervention. it sounds like he's nearly out of the woods if he isn't already. >> early intervention always the best outcome. thank you for sticking with us as always, we appreciate it. we're also, everybody, following breaking news. we're just getting in out of florida. an attorney representing the man accused of killing 17 people in the parkland school shooting has told a judge he will plead guilty. nikolas cruz. sam brock is in miami for us right now. i want to bring in our expert analyst as well. sam, what's happening here? >> reporter: we should clarify sources tell us the plan for nikolas cruz right now is to plead guilty to 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of murder. the circuit judge in fort lauderdale demanded he first enter a plea for assault and battery charges against a broward county deputy in the jail. this stems back from several years ago. first he's got to enter a plea for that. then potentially next week, wednesday, this is stilling with ironed out, the timeline. nikolas cruz will be provided an opportunity to enter the plea for homicide charges. it's speculation what's going on. it appears the state attorney's office had no idea he was planning on pleading guilty when the reports first emerged yesterday in the aftermath of the traumatic day, one of the worst moments in fl there's history. we know the public defender did nikolas cruz would extend a guilty plea for taking the death penalty off the table. they said we are not interested in that. the death penalty phase is going to move forward. so what would be to gain for him now to plead guilty? that's not clear. it is a bifurcated process. first you have the guilty phase and the death penalty. if you skip guilty and go straight to death penalty, there's going to be a heart wrenching process that's going to be taking place with a jury of 12 people that have to be unanimous in their decision whether or not there are enough aggravating factors here of heinous, atrocious, cruel factors or mitigating factors in nikolas cruz's favor if his representation argues he was not mentally sound or had a disturbed childhood or any sort of manner of things that could be presented before the court. that would be their choice. what is clear is the prosecuting attorneys have no interest in accepting a plea deal, and this appeared to take everybody off guard. >> danny, weigh in for us. what this means kind of in the larger sense, especially with sam's reporting and what would be to gain when it comes to a guilty plea from nikolas cruz? >> that's the big question, because nikolas cruz's defense team likely will recognize they're not likely to get a not guilty. instead, that not guilty is their only bargaining chip they have left. it's something that they have apparently tried to get the prosecution to come off the death penalty option in exchange for a guilty plea. so to suddenly give up the one bargaining chip for free essentially, it's a big question what the defense's strategy is here. even if he pleads guilty, the state attorney has indicated they will proceed with the penalty phase. and capital faces you face a journal for the liability phase and face the jury for the penalty phase to decide if you get life or death. >> why not give a head's up to the state attorney? why catch them on the blind on this? and what about this ask from the judge for first to plead to assault and battery charges? >> it could be as simple as the defendant has said no more. i want to get this over with. i want to plead guilty and move on to the penalty phase of my case without even negotiating or holding out to see if the state attorney offers anything better or anything -- well, there's nothing to offer except come off the death penalty in this case. the other question, might be a procedural reason why he has to plead guilty to the assault crimes first, but this is an incident that this is something that might take at least a few days to get ready for. that could have factored into the judge's decision. that may be a local procedural issue that -- or a judge preference in a case like this. >> quite an update on a tragic time in florida. this mass shooting, killing 17 people at parkland. thank you guys both. really appreciate you jumping on for us. president biden just left the white house, everybody, for a trip to connecticut. where he's got two events today to sell his build back better plan. he did not answer any questions. what he's got planned today, and why the white house is ramping up the pressure on democrats. plus this. new tensions this morning in chicago where the head of the police union is urging officers to defy the city's vaccine requirement. and a wild story from a texas school district. a top administrator told teachers if they have books about the holocaust in their classrooms, they also need to balance it out with an opposing perspective as they put it. we're going to dig into that reaction coming up. to the clou? the cloud would give us more flexibility, but we lose control. ♪ ♪ ♪ should i stay or should i go? ♪ and we need insights across our data silos, but how? ♪ if i go there will be trouble ♪ ♪ ♪ wait, we can stay and go. hpe greenlake is the platform that brings the cloud to us. ♪ should i stay or should i go now? ♪ ♪ ♪ it's sleep number's fall sale on the sleep number 360 smart bed. it helps keep you effortlessly comfortable by sensing your movements and ♪ should i stay or should i go now? ♪ automatically responding to both of you. and, it's temperature balancing to help you stay comfortable all night. it even tracks your circadian rhythm, so you know when you're at your best. in other words, it's the most energy-building, wellness-boosting, parent-powering, proven quality night's sleep we've ever made. don't miss our weekend special. save up to $800 on sleep number 360 smart beds. plus, 0% interest for 48 months on all smart beds. ends monday. every single day, we're all getting a little bit better. we're better cooks... better neighbors... hi. i've got this until you get back. better parents... and better friends. no! no! that's why comcast works around the clock constantly improving america's largest gig-speed broadband network. and just doubled the capacity here. how do things look on your end? -perfect! because we're building a better network every single day. his patience with congress over negotiations on infrastructure and that big social spending bill. white house officials are signaling to lawmakers that time, in fact, is running out. they want a deal done quickly and to pass it soon. we are in connecticut. mike, great to see you this morning. the president certainly knows his agenda, the leadup to the midterms, all of it on the line right now when it comes to both hard and soft infrastructure to get this reconciliation bill across the line. to get infrastructure across the line the president doing it seems whatever he can to make sure that happens. talk us through what you're going to expect to hear, what he's doing in connecticut. and the negotiations he has in place with congress. >> well, what we heard from the white house yesterday is it's time to move forward. the day before the white house saying time is not unlimited. you get a sense that the patience, the deliberate pace of the intense negotiations within their own party here is beginning to wear a little bit thin as they face some self-imposed deadlines to get the president's agenda across. and so one of the questions we know the white house and democrats are grappling with is do they need to scale back or remove proposals or move them down the road. that's why it's interesting what the president is focusing on when he comes here to connecticut. when the president laid out the build back better agenda, care giving was one of the key pillars he laid out. the president is going to be visiting a child care center today with the message the u.s. needs to up the game in terms of providing for the youth of america. the white house putting out a memo this morning saying that the u.s. only ranks 35th out of 37 of the advanced economies in the world in terms of investment in children up to the age of five. most of these countries spend an average of 14,000 per toddler compared to just $500 a toddlers in the u.s. we know the costs are being born by the average american. that's just one of the issues that the president's build back better agenda is aiming to address. the availability of child care, the cost of child care, and yes, the expansion to prekindergarten for three and four-year-olds. interesting to see what the president is focusing on in that respect. that's an area the president doesn't want to see taken off the table. it's also worth mentioning we had heard for some time that the president was going to pick up the pace of travel around the country to try to get his message across. we haven't seen that pair out. this is only the second time where the president is taking a trip specifically on this issue of his build back better agenda. he's heading to europe with a significant focus on climate change. that's part of his infrastructure agenda also. not the sales show we were expect, but it's happening today in connecticut. >> as you were speaking, we saw the president exit air force one and now boarding as he's headed to connecticut. you mentioning he's going to be selling the build back better agenda to get infrastructure over the finish line. before i let you go, how often from what you're hearing is the president speaking to both joe manchin -- kyrsten sinema, and making calls? >> reporter: they don't want to read out every one of the conversations. very often the president himself is the one getting on the phones. the conversations have been happening at a very high level with the senior staff. the white house officials leading the charge on this, susan rice, the domestic policy adviser joining this late. the president is one who when officials are saying now is the time to hop on the phone, they're ready on a short moment's notice to get the president on the phone. so as i talk about the fact that we maybe haven't seen the president hitting the road as often, one of the reasons is because he's been being available to be on the phone with these lawmakers as needed as well. >> although, there are phones on air force one. let's be real here. >> true. >> great to see you this morning, my friend. thanks for your coverage on this. meanwhile, we're following breaking news out of afghanistan. at least 33 people dead and 73 wounded after an explosion in -- kandahar. it happened in the middle of afternoon prayers at a shia mosque. this is one week after a bombing claimed by isis-k that killed 40 people in northern afghanistan at a shia mosque. >> okay. a doctor and a florida man walk into a bar, but there's no punch line. the doctor ended up convincing that complete stranger to get the covid vaccine. we're going to ask them how he did it coming up next. t. ♪ ♪ there are beautiful ideas that remain in the dark. but with our new multi-cloud experience, you have the flexibility you need to unveil them to the world. ♪ age before beauty? why not both? visibly diminish wrinkled skin in... crepe corrector lotion... only from gold bond. hey i'm joe montana. when you get to be our age, you have little patience for nonsense and inefficiency. after years of practice you become a pro at pretty much everything. so when i qualified for medicare, i got wellcare. they're pros at making things streamlined, efficient and convenient. wellcare offers great benefits like free grocery, meal, and prescription delivery. and if you need to see a doctor, you can get in-home visits and 24/7 virtual visits. wellcare is no nonsense. just great benefits and none of the hassles. [ doorbell rings ] i have your delivery. appreciate it. ♪ ♪ wellcare is committed to getting rid of the nonsense and inconvenience associated with health insurance. instead, they're just focusing on giving you great benefits. so don't delay, act now. wellcare. it's medicare done well. after my car accident, i wondered what my case was worth. so i called the barnes firm. when that car hit my motorcycle, insurance wasn't fair. so i called the barnes firm. it was the best call i could've made. atat t bararnefirmrm, our r inry a attneysys wk hahard i could've made. atat t bararnefirmrm, to get you the best result possible. call us now and find out what your case could be worth. you u mit bebe sprisised ♪ the barnes firm injury attorneys ♪ ♪ call one eight hundred, eight million ♪ okay. so we know vaccines have passionate and at times angry debate during this pandemic. it has divided co-workers, friends, families. but it doesn't have. maybe all it takes to cut through the uncertainty about vaccines is open ears, common ground and the age old virtue, patience. that is what happened when an unvaccinated man and a doctor met in a bar in florida. as "the washington post" notes, the men talked for hours and listened to each other. and ultimately, that man was convinced to go get his shot. i want to bring in dr. dwayne mitchel, the director of the florida clinical science institute. and the man he convinced, mark, joining me as well. i'm so thankful you were able to talk to us about this. it's an incredible story. mark, i want you to tell me first about the reservations you had about getting this vaccine. >> there was just a lot of different misinformation around the websites, online, family, friends. you'd hear something new every day, and then i started diving in further to protein spikes and the pcr testing and all the other types of stuff surrounding not only the vaccine but the actual covid disease. so it's just a lot of all over the place, and a lot of uncertainty which really kind of just made me withdraw, and i was like well, we'll see how this plays out a little bit. and then maybe we'll talk more. and low and behold, i met dr. mitchel. >> i found it fascinating, mark, though, that while you were unvaccinated, your wife was actually vaccinated. that she wasn't able to do what dr. mitchel did. >> absolutely. we're a small family of three. i was under kind of playing both sides. she got vaccinated. she felt strongly she should do it. and i'm not going to disagree with her on that. also in the same token, i thought well, because there's so much uncertainty about the vaccine, if i remain unvaccinated, god forbid something happened to either one of us, maybe we'd have a better chance. maybe poor logic. i don't know. but at the time it sounded good. >> dr. mitchel, take me inside the bar. you hear from mark. he's unvaccinated. you hear some of his reasoning. i imagine some alarm bells went off in your head, and how did you approach this conversation to get him on board? >> well, initially our coti over our dinner selection, and then there was a little bit of a friendly repor just from some comments, but when the conversation moved to the coronavirus pandemic and vaccines and it was clear that he wasn't for being vaccinated, i just wanted to understand his point of view, and he was inquisitive about what information i knew about the vaccines and their effectiveness and safety. so it was just really a conversation, communication we were both trying to understand each other's point of view. literally it was a debate. it was sort of a point, counterpoint discussion around information related to the vaccines. but i think we were both genuinely interested in hearing out what the other person had to say and their point of view. >> that's so interesting. i think so much is lost in this divisive place we're at in this country right now. with being on separate sides of so many issues. the fact that the both of you were able to have this conversation and listen to one another and genuinely want to understand where you were both at i think is kind of one of the most fascinating parts of this exchange and conversation. mark, what was it that kind of helped you get over the edge and get that vaccine? >> just the three and a half hours of conversation. i mean, i asked personal questions. i asked political questions, loaded questions. things across the board that i knew that i thought i knew the answers to, and maybe some provoking questions as well, and dr. mitchel just basically stayed steadfast and true which ultimately led to that sincere, genuine conversation, and when you get up from the table at that point, you're like well, you know what? he had every intention probably of going to dinner and not talking about anything. which at the time with his expertise to explain it to me. so i felt not only honored but intrigued to maybe take him up on what he was mentioning. >> here's the best part, though, mark, with this entire story. dr. mitchel, i want you to weigh in as well and how this went down. you said i'll get the vaccine as you wrapped up your conversation. dr. mitchel said listen, if i convinced you. you said i'll get the vaccine as long as you administer. and that's what happened. how did that go down? mark, you first, and dr. mitchel, you wrap it up for me. >> i was pushing the envelope. i thought well, you know, he's not really on that side of things, so let me see if i can get myself out of this by going a little too far. you do it, fine, let's do it. and without hesitation, he jumped up, fine, we'll figure out a way. and you know, there was no back pedaling at that point. i took his hand and did what i said i was going to do. >> dr. mitchel? >> well, you know, i said if you reach out, we'll make this happen. i didn't know exactly the pathway that we would follow to get it all done, and i wasn't 100% sure he would follow through. frankly, i wasn't sure i'd hear from him again. we exchanged information, and in a couple days he sent me a text and said we'd like to make this appointment. i reached out to the head of our screen and vaccine program here and said this is kind of a little built of a wild story, but we need to get an appointment for somebody to get vaccinated, and we were able to meet up within a few days, and with him and his family having him take his first shot. >> hopefully a friendship forged something we all can learn from the conversation the two of you had. and i do hope you guys went back to the bar and had a celebratory drink, vaccinated days later. did you? >> we have not been back, but i've been talking about how to get him some brussels sprouts the next time we're together. >> i heard about that. he was not into that. >> the server was trying to pass us on it. he looked at me and i said that's all on you. >> i'm also a fan of them. mark, maybe that's the next conversation you need to hear about. how to get on board. they can be very good if seasoned well. dr. mitchel, mark hall, thank you both. appreciate you sharing your story. last night an appeals court ruled to let the restrictive new abortion law in texas stay in place while the legal fights over it move forward. up next, we have got a look at why the law will have the biggest impact on low income women and communities of color. first, an update from a high profile criminal case. a real estate heir on thursday was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his friend, susan berman more than 20 years ago. prosecutors said at the time of the murder berman was about to tell police she'd given a fake alibi when his wife disappeared in 1982. his wife was never found. durst testified he did not kill either woman but admitted in court he would lie if he had. his lawyers say they'll appeal the sentencing. we'll be right back. cans struggle to get reliable transportation to their medical appointments. that's why i started medhaul. citi launched the impact fund to invest in both women and entrepreneurs of color like me, so i can realize my vision and give everything i've got to my company, and my community. i got you. for the love of people. for the love of community. for the love of progress. citi. (vo) at t-mobile for business, unconventional thinking means we see things differently, so you can focus on what matters most. whether it's ensuring food arrives as fresh as when it departs. being first on the scene, when every second counts. or teaching biology without a lab. we are the leader in 5g. #1 in customer satisfaction. and a partner who includes 5g in every plan, so you get it all. without trade-offs. unconventional thinking. it's better for business. ♪upbeat music♪ transitions™ light under control. ♪upbeat music♪ transitions™ signature gen 8™ available now, in 4 vibrant style colors. transitions™ as a dj, i know all about customization. available now, in 4 vibrant style colors. that's why i love liberty mutual. they customize my car insurance, so i only pay for what i need. how about a throwback? ♪ liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty ♪ only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty ♪ thinkorswim trading equips you with customizable tools, dedicated trade desk pros, and a passionate trader community sharing strategies right on the platform. because we take trading as seriously as you do. thinkorswim trading™ from td ameritrade. a federal court once again just ruled that texas can keep banning most abortions. it is the third time since october that the conservative-leaning fifth circuit court of appeals sided with texas. this legal fight could ultimately head to the supreme court. last month the high court allowed texas to move forward with the law that bans abortions once cardiac activity is detected, usually around six weeks when most women don't know they're pregnant. and there are no exceptions in cases of rape or insist. the restrictive nature has women traveling to other states to get an abortion. there's hurdles like time and money. and as we report, it disproportionately affects women of color. >> reporter: in the six weeks since texas's controversial abortion law went into effect, a lot has happened, but not much has changed. and that's putting advocates, patients, and women's health care providers on edge. >> this is kind of quite literally the wild wild west or we could call it the wild wild southwest. >> reporter: michelle goodwin is a professor at uc irvine who specializes in the intersections of medicine, health and law. >> the law is so broadly written. it provides no definition for what it means to aid or abet. >> reporter: taking effect september 1st, it's the most restrictive abortion law in the country. banning abortion after fetal cardiac activity is detected, around six weeks. it doesn't criminalize abortion outright. instead, it deputizes private citizens who can target anyone who helped end a pregnancy with a lawsuit of at least $10,000. the legal maneuvering is forcing providers like marvised aller into a race against the clock. >> i am certain that lady reported a hearing seasons -- >> there's a patient who found out she was 12 weeks pregnant days before she was expected to report to prison, but due to the abortion reskrixs on the books, even before the latest ban, she was forced to tell her no. >> she was literally standing in my lobby, and i could help her. there was absolutely no medical reason why we could not help her, but yet, i had to turn her away. and that is heart wrenching. >> reporter: the impact of sb 8 is felt more in some texas communities than others. >> this will definitely effect women of color. the low income community much more. >> reporter: and goodwin says the laws mirror a dark time in our nation's history. >> we call these fugitive slave laws that made it legal for an individual to surveil, spy, and hunt down black people. you look at the texas law. it's quite similar. >> reporter: late monday the justice department filed a second challenge to the law, meaning the legal twists and turns will continue. goodwin believes that's exactly what the law's authors wanted. what do you think this series of decisions in the texas case says about what we might expect moving forward across the country? >> it's a play book that sends a signal to other conservative state legislatures that want to interfere with reproductive health and justice. it basically says do this very entangled, very tangled troubling civil procedure, and you'll get what you want. >> as this case continues to wind its way through the courts, there are folks who are fighting for women of having access to healthy and safe abortions and there's hope that maybe this law will be overturned. but it's not looking good. >> thank you for that report. for more on the story, check out the latest into america pad -- podcast. we've watched texas lawmakers take on voting rights and abortion rights and what's taught in schools. now the texas house just passed a bill that targets k through 12 transgender student athletes. it requires student athletes to play on sports teams based on the genders of their birth certificates at or near the time of birth. there's a bill that now heads to the texas senate. coming up, a florida mother whose son was murdered by his father is trying to use her grief to help other families. her story coming up. so it's hard to believe that if a mother believed her child may be in danger while in the presence of the other parent, she legally may not be able to keep the child away. but that was the case for one florida mother who suffered an unimaginable tragedy and is now fighting to make sure it doesn't happen to another family. in may alison's four-year-old son grayson was shot and killed by his dad who then killed himself. just hours before the shooting, she petitioned the court to remove him from his father's care after she says his father sent her threatening messages. that wasn't the first time she tried to get the legal system to intervene, but it never happened. now she's on a mission to pass greyson's law. it would make it easier to remove a child if a parent is threatening or abusing the parent. we are joined now. alison, thank you so much for joining us. how are you doing? >> thank you for having me. >> i'm out of bed today. i guess that's good for the moment, but thanks for asking. >> i can't imagine what you've experienced in the last couple months. and having to see greyson's videos and pictures over and over again, my heart breaks for you and i appreciate you sharing your story with us today and your mission. can you tell me a little bit about greyson? >> gosh, he was just the cutest, silliest, funniest, and smartest four-year-old that i have ever known in my life. everyone that knew him just loved his infectious laugh, and he was everyone's best friend in school and camp. and he just had the best personality that just made him shine. >> how did you find out about his death, alison? >> well, he wasn't in school for two days, and i basically was searching for him, and i tried to get wellness checks done, because he wasn't in school, and his father wasn't answering his phone, and i knew something was wrong. i tried to get the domestic injunction the day prior to his timesharing, so i knew his father was unstable, and i found out when -- after two days of not being able to locate him, finally getting a lock smith to break the door down. >> alison did everything that a mother would do. she saw the signs. she knew her son was vulnerable, was in danger. she tried to seek help. why couldn't she get the help that she needed? >> thank you for having me. i hope you can hear me okay. i'm in a strange location, but there's just some holes in the law, and many states have this same issue where threats and violence that are directed toward a spouse sometimes a judge cannot take action in removing a child from the home even though some of the threats are egregious and actions are egregious. in alison's case, her former husband was putting trackers on her car and all sorts of other issues. it's called coercive control. it's something we're trying to expand the definition of domestic violence to include some of these more humiliating, threatening kind of -- the step before violence type of violence. and unfortunately in florida, and most states, the judges don't have the ability -- they don't have the mechanism in which they're able to remove a child from a home in a circumstance like this. unfortunately, we've seen this happen in the united states in excess of 800 times where during a separation a spouse is actually and trajedly cli murdered their child. several hundred of them were preventable and the court didn't have the tools to prevent it from happening. >> what is the status now of greyson's law, and making sure not one more child is lost to violence like this? >> so we're prepared to file it this month. we just have some tweaks in the language. it's got to get some approval from from leadership. i do have to get some bipartisan buy-in. and we do have some senate sponsors. so we're confident that it will move through. i've already taken some meetings with folks in leadership. i'm also making sure that the judges have the tools to protect as many children as possible in florida. >> allison, how do you do it, how do you lose -- >> i do it for grey son and the precious boy that i miss. and it is my job for as long as i breathe to make sure that his memory, his legacy lives on and that this doesn't happen again and that he is not just another statistic. i cannot let this just be another number in history. i have to fight for him. i have to fight for justice for greyson. >> what do you want to tell folks that are watching right now? >> just love your children with all of your heart. and be kind to one another. and if you're co-parents, do what is best for the child and treat the child as a human being and not just property. just, you know, i guess keep looking out for greyson's law and i appreciate everyone's support. >> i'm giving you a virtual hug mom to mom. i can't imagine the pain that you've experienced. >> thank you. >> and i thank you for joining us. representative, thank you as well. up next, a school controversy in texas. a top administrator told teachers that they should have books with opposing views of the holocaust in their classrooms. what does that even mean? ♪ there are beautiful ideas that remain in the dark. but with our new multi-cloud experience, you have the flexibility you need to unveil them to the world. ♪ i brought in ensure max protein, with thirty grams of protein. those who tried me felt more energy in just two weeks! ( sighs wearily ) here, i'll take that! ( excited yell ) woo-hoo! ensure max protein. with thirty grams of protein, one-gram of sugar, and nutrients to support immune health! ( abbot sonic ) to make my vision a reality. i have to take every perspective, and see clearly from every point of view. with my varilux progressive lenses i seamlessly transition from near to far. and see every detail in sharp focus. when you see no limits, there are no limits. book now at your local essilor experts to push the limits of your vision. varilux lenses by essilor. now, we all know progressive offers 24/7 protection, but we also bundle outdoor vehicles with home and auto to help people save more! [ laughs ] ♪♪ [ humming ] [ door creaks ] oh. [ soft music playing ] what are you all doing in my daydream? it's better than that presentation. a lot better. you know, whether it's a fraction or a decimal, it's still fun, you know? so we are following a disturbing story that is getting a tremendous amount of attention on social media right now. it involves a texas school district already at the center of the growing nationwide debate over what books should be taught in the classroom specifically when it comes to race and lgbtq issues. now new audio revealing a top administrator in south lake instructing teachers to allow access to opposing viewpoints of the holocaust. listen to this. >> make sure that if you have a book on the holocaust, that you have one that has opposing -- that has other perspectives. >> how do you oppose the holocaust? >> that is exactly what i was thinking. and antonio hilton is joining us now. you and i talked offline about this a little bit. and i asked that same question, how do you oppose the holocaust. are they asking to teach "mein kampf" in the classrooms? you've been reporting extensively on south lake. walk us through what else you learned and how this really factors into the bigger picture of what is actually happening on the ground in south lake. >> yeah, look, the important thing to know the context here in south lake, this a community right outside dallas that has been a ground zero town where the entire national fight over critical race theory, over how to talk about the history of racism and schooling really got its start. there it got started in 2018 when students chanted the "n" word. they tried to create a plan to address the racist issues. and then in 2020 in the wake of george floyd's murder, there is a massive backlash in the community. and consistently what i've found and my reporter co-host found this as we've covered this is that south lake was really ahead of almost every other town when it comes to these controversies that we're seeing at school board, when it comes to the fights we're seeing with the parents. so now we're seeing it coming to books in the classroom, educators confused over how to interpret the new plans, banning crt, what materials they can put in the classroom, this fight may go elsewhere. and that is what is really important here. south lake consistently has been ahead on these issues, these racial and cultural conflicts. and now that we hear teachers having a conversation like that shocking one, it gives you a sense of how confusing, how alarming all this has come for the people in this field. take a listen to my conversation with one of the teachers in south lake. what do you think is at stake here? >> in books children see what the world can be. to have that taken away because we're afraid of a few parents getting upset about an idea that they have imagined is in a book is unthinkable. >> that sentiment that you just heard from that teacher there is something that mike, my co-host and i, we have heard repeatedly from educators in this community, that this is not just about, you know, a disagreement who likes this book and who likes that book. this is about what kids will have access to in school, the cultures that they will get exposed to, the opportunities that they may here. people different from them that they will learn to appreciate and have respect for. and one of the teachers said that she is a public schoolteacher who doesn't get to travel the world very much and the books are how she sees the world and that is what she believes is at stake here around the country sflp and how pervasive is this viewpoint that we're hearing here about, for instance, having this opposing view of the holocaust? >> it is unclear how that specific view on the holocaust is. but the administrator you heard from there is the director of curriculum and instruction. this is not a low level employee who made this, are a, not somebody who has no sway or importance in the community there. and i think it says less about that person's personal beliefs and more about their better than interpretation of the laws. and that is causing confusing and putting teachers in impossible positions. >> really excellent reporting on this as always. thank you. and you can listen to all six episodes wherever you get your podcasts. and if you want to learn about the making of the podcast, head to nbcu academy.com. and that does it for me. you can watch me tomorrow here on msnbc. andrea mitchell reports starts right now. good day. this is andrea mitchell reports in new york where we're following three big stories. an fda advisory panel meeting virtually for a second straight

Related Keywords

Covid , Folks , Emergency Use Authorization , Fda , J , Vaccine Booster Dose , 18 , Conversation , Doctor , Questions , Florida , Others , Oman , Way , Bar , Vaccine Concerns , Listening , Art , Dr , Course , Gupta , Care , Booster News , Health Metrics , Pulmonologist , Faculty Member , University Of Washington , Dose , Fd Sa Meeting On Today , Talk , Studies , Recommendation , The Johnson , Let , Six , Two , Recommendations , Pfizer , Booster , 15 Million , Question , Issue , Americans , Committees , One Shot , Cdc , One , Shot , Point , Protection , Answer , Shotters , Dosing Interval , Hospitalization , Plus , 90 , Mixing , Friends , Experiences , England , Canada , Sense , Matching , Strategies , Nih Trial , Mixings , Fact , Booster Shot , Mix Match Strategy , Answers , Next , Strategy , Match , Mix , Pressure , Amount , Wrestling , Lag , Guidance , Nih , World , Moderna , Experience , Shots , Data , Effectiveness , Safety , Challenge , Shots Didn T , Everybody , Trials , Half , Dosing Issue , Moderna Booster , 65 , President , Adults , People , Anything , Heart , It , Patients , Vaccine Experts , Many , Colleague , Risk , Data Showing , Group , Dosing , Wasn T There , Immunity , Regimen , Evidence , Science , Bill Clinton , Stick , Condition , Infection , Hospital , Breaking News , Spokesperson , Quote , Mend , Southern California , Noncovid , Reporter , Update , Spirits , Out Of The Woods , Statements , Trajectory , Team , New York , Inside Uci , Doctors , Town , Illness , Event , Diagnosis , Clinton Foundation , Something , Information , Bloodstream , Uti , Walking , Steps , Piece , Concerns , Staff , Septic Shock , Interacting , Concern , Possibility , Sepsiso , History , Reporting , Intensive Care , Privacy Concerns , Bypass , 2004 , Stents , Expectation , Conditions , Exacerbation , Accounts , 2010 , Assessment , Steve Patterson , Heart Conditions , Co Morbidities , 70 , Intervention , Urine , Urinary , Kidneys , Bladder , Death , Blood , Sepsis , Somewhere , Untreated , 20 , Icu , Deaths , Shock , Case , Blood Pressure , Bacteria , Privacy Reasons , Organs , Severity , Progress , Blow Blood Pressure , Notion , Kidney Injury , Outcomes , Somebody , He Isn T , Heart Condition , Type , Preexisting , Attorney , Outcome , Killing , 17 , Judge , Nikolas Cruz , Expert Analyst , Sam Brock , Parkland School Shooting , Miami , Plan , Counts , Sources , Plea , Circuit Judge , Murder , Assault , Battery , Charges , Premeditated Murder , Broward County , Jail , Deputy , Fort Lauderdale , Timeline , Stilling , Opportunity , Idea , What S Going On , Homicide Charges , Aftermath , State Attorney S Office , Death Penalty , Defender , Table , Death Penalty Phase , Process , Phase , Place , Heart Wrenching Process , Factors , Decision , Jury , Heinous , 12 , Things , Court , Childhood , Mitigating Factors , Sort , Representation , Favor , Manner , Choice , Kind , Interest , Attorneys , Plea Deal , Guard , Weigh , Sam S , Danny , Defense Team , Bargaining Chip , Big Question , Exchange , Prosecution , Defense , Death Penalty Option , State Attorney , Penalty Phase , Life , Capital , Head , Liability Phase , Journal , More , Blind , Defendant , First , Ask , Over , Nothing , Reason , Incident , Assault Crimes , Preference , Mass Shooting , Parkland , Build , Trip , Connecticut , White House , Events , Story , Democrats , Tensions , Officers , Texas School District , Vaccine Requirement , City , Chicago , Police Union , Books , Holocaust , Teachers , Classrooms , Perspective , Top Administrator , Reaction , Cloud , Flexibility , Clou , Data Silos , Platform , Hpe Greenlake , Trouble , Both , Sleep Number , Bed , Sale , Movements , Temperature Balancing , Circadian Rhythm , Best , 360 , Parent , Energy Building , Don T , Sleep , Miss , Words , Weekend Special , Plus , Smart Beds , Ends Monday , 48 , 00 , 800 , 0 , Bit , Parents , Clock , Cooks , Neighbors , Broadband Network , End , Network , Capacity , Infrastructure , Officials , Patience , Lawmakers , Negotiations , Deal , Social Spending Bill , Congress , Agenda , Line , Wall , Mike , Leadup , Midterms , Reconciliation Bill , Party , Deadlines , Road , Interesting , Proposals , Message , Terms , Child Care Center , Pillars , Game , Care Giving , Youth Of America , Children , Age , Countries , Most , Memo , Average , Toddler , Economies , Investment , 35 , Five , 14000 , 37 , Issues , Child Care , Toddlers , Cost , Availability , Costs , Average American , 500 , Doesn T , Respect , Prekindergarten , Expansion , Area , Mentioning , Three , Four , Country , We Haven T , Pace , Travel , Part , Focus , Climate Change , Europe , Speaking , Sales , Air Force One , Hearing , Finish Line , Kyrsten Sinema , Joe Manchin , Level , Conversations , Phones , Making Calls , Phone , Domestic Policy Adviser , Notice , Charge , Susan Rice , Reasons , True , Thanks , Friend , Coverage , Explosion , Afghanistan , 33 , 73 , Middle , Afternoon Prayers , Bombing , Shia Mosque , Isis K , 40 , Stranger , Punch Line , Ideas , Dark , Beauty , Skin , Bond , Crepe Corrector Lotion , Everything , Wellcare , Nonsense , Pros , Joe Montana , Inefficiency , Practice , Pro , Medicare , Benefits , Visits , Prescription Delivery , Grocery , Meal , None , Hassles , 24 7 , Delivery , Rings , Act Now , Health Insurance , Inconvenience , Don T Delay , Firm , Call , Worth , Car Accident , Barnes , Atat T Bararnefirmrm , Car Hit My Motorcycle , Insurance Wasn T Fair , Attneysys Wk Hahard , Inry , R , Firm Injury Attorneys , Result , Mit Bebe Sprisised , You U , Eight Million , Eight Hundred , Vaccines , Co Workers , Pandemic , Times , Uncertainty , Common Ground , Ears , Virtue , Doesn T Have , Dwayne Mitchel , Each Other , Men , Notes , Washington Post , Mark Hall , Institute , Lot , Family , Reservations , Misinformation , Websites , Types , Protein Spikes , Stuff , Pcr Testing , All Over The Place , Covid Disease , She Wasn T , Wife , Unvaccinated , Sides , Chance , Token , Logic , God , He S Unvaccinated , Reasoning , Alarm Bells , I Don T Know , Repor , Comments , Dinner Selection , Coti , Point Of View , Coronavirus , Being , Debate , Communication , Person , Counterpoint Discussion , Another , Parts , Genuinely , Over The Edge , Well , Board , Intention , Sincere , Expertise , Dinner , Listen , Side , , Envelope , Fine , Little , Hand , Hesitation , Back Pedaling , Done , Pathway , Frankly , 100 , Appointment , Text , Vaccine Program , Screen , Friendship , Back , Hope You Guys , Celebratory Drink , Server , Fan , Law , Women , Fights , Up Next , Color , Texas , Abortion Law , Last Night An Appeals Court , Impact , Communities , Stay , Look , Murder Berman , Susan Berman , Prison , Criminal Case , Heir , Prosecutors , Profile , Real Estate , Woman , Police , Lawyers , Alibi , Durst , 1982 , Cans , Transportation , Appointments , Sentencing , Medhaul , Community , Vision , Love , I Got You , Impact Fund , Company , Entrepreneurs , Citi , Thinking , Business , Teaching , Food , Scene , Lab , Biology , T Mobile , Vo , Partner , 5g , Leader , Customer Satisfaction , Trade Offs , 5 , 1 , Music , Colors , Tm Light Under Control , Signature Gen , 8 , 4 , Liberty Mutual , Car Insurance , Liberty , Transitions , Customization , Liberty Thinkorswim , Dj , Throwback , Tools , Trading , Trader Community Sharing Strategies , Trade Desk Pros , Td Ameritrade , Thinkorswim Tradingtm , Abortions , Federal Court , Fight , Fifth Circuit Court Of Appeals , Supreme Court , High Court , States , Activity , Cases , Nature , Rape , Exceptions , Abortion , Hurdles , Money , Effect , Advocates , Women S Health Care Providers , Edge , The Wild West , Health , Definition , Intersections , Southwest , Professor , Medicine , Abet , Taking Effect September 1st , Michelle Goodwin , Uc Irvine , It Doesn T Criminalize Abortion , September 1st , Anyone , Citizens , Lawsuit , Race , Providers , Maneuvering , Pregnancy , Marvised Aller , 10000 , 0000 , Patient , Hearing Seasons , Reskrixs , Lady , Ban , Lobby , No , Sb , Will , Laws , Fugitive Slave Laws , To Surveil , Nation , Individual , Spy , Turns , Texas Law , Authors , Twists , Late Monday The Justice Department Filed A Second Challenge , Play Book , Reproductive Health , Decisions , Signal , Series , State Legislatures , Justice , Procedure , Access , America Pad , Hope , Report , Courts , Texas House , Bill , Schools , Voting Rights , Rights , Genders , Student Athletes , Sports Teams , Birth Certificates , Father , Mother , Son , Birth , Grief , Coming Up , Texas Senate , Child , Danger , Presence , May Alison , Tragedy , Dad , Son Grayson , Shooting , Greyson , Wasn T The First Time , Messages , On A Mission , System , Pictures , Videos , Bed Today , Cutest , Heart Breaks , Mission , Gosh , Silliest , Everyone , School , In My Life , Best Friend , Camp , Laugh , Personality , Wasn T In School , He Wasn T In School , Wellness , Timesharing , Injunction , Door , Lock Smith , Couldn T , Help , Signs , Spouse , Violence , Threats , Location , Holes , Some , Action , Car , Actions , Sorts , Home , Husband , Trackers , Control , Domestic Violence , Violence Type , Step , Judges , Mechanism , Circumstance , Ability , Court Didn T , Trajedly Cli , Excess , Status , Separation , Happening , Language , Tweaks , Leadership , Meetings , Approval , Sponsors , Allison , Job , Boy , Statistic , Number , Memory , Legacy , Human Being , Property , Co Parents , Mom , Hug Mom , Support , Spain , Representative , Views , Protein , Energy , Thirty , Nutrients , Sugar , Sighs Wearily , Excited Yell , Abbot Sonic , Progressive Lenses , Detail , Reality , Sharp Focus , Limits , Experts , Varilux Lenses , Essilor , Progressive , Door Creaks , Auto , Vehicles , Presentation , Decimal , Doing , Music Playing , Daydream , Fraction , Social Media , Attention , South Lake Instructing , Classroom , Audio , Center , Lgbtq , Book , Viewpoints , Perspectives , Antonio Hilton , Mein Kampf , Context , Ground , Picture , Thing , Ground Zero , Dallas , Zero , Racism , Race Theory , Students , Backlash , Word , N , Wake , George Floyd , 2020 , 2018 , Controversies , School Board , Educators , Banning Crt , Plans , Elsewhere , Materials , Conflicts , Stake , Field , Teacher , Sentiment , Upset , Cultures , Opportunities , Disagreement , Kids , Public Schoolteacher , View , Viewpoint , Instance , Country Sflp , Employee , Director , Administrator , Instruction , Curriculum , Importance , Beliefs , Sway , Interpretation , Positions , Episodes , Podcasts , Making , Nbcu Academy Com , Andrea Mitchell Reports , Stories , Straight , Advisory Panel , Msnbc ,