♪ jeff: good evening. this is pbs news weekend. tonight, russian forces retreat from ukraine's capital region while evacuation attempts continue in the heart of the city of mariupol. we explore the road to economic recovery as the u.s. sees the longest -- the lowest on employment rates since the pandemic started. and a new hit tv series uses humor to address the long-standing problems of an underfunded education system. >> america' teachers, they deserve more. jeff: all that and more on tonight's pbs news weekend. ♪

>> major funding for pbs news weekend has been provided by -- >> for 25 years, consumer cellular's goal is to provide wireless service to help people communicate and connect. our u.s.-based customer service team can find a plan that fits you. ♪ >> bandwidth the ongoing support of these individuals and institutions. -- a with the ongoing support of these individuals and institutions. and friends of the newshour. ♪

this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. jeff: it is good to be with you welcome to the debut of pbs news weekend. before we get started, we want to recognize our colleagues a wnet in new york who produced the newshour weekend broadcast for nearly nine years. we are deeply grateful to them for the thousands of stories and interviews they brought us over the years. now the weekend show has left new york and moved to our studios here at weta in washington, the home of the newshour. we strive toontinue to build on what their team started. now to our top story today, ukraine says tonight it's forces have retaken the entire region around the capital, kyiv. still, the ukrainian president

warned retreating russian forces have left, and his words, a complete disaster, and said residents should beware of continued shelling and landmines. efforts to get citizens out of the hard-hit city of mariupol press on. correspondent allie rogan has our report. allie: from the border in

and according to the new york times, the u.s. will work with allies to send soviet made tanks to ukraine, the first such transfer in the war. i'm allie rogan for the pbs newshour. jeff: in today's headlines, pope francis since he's considering a

possible visit to the ukrainian capital kyiv as war and destructive aggression." but was cleared for release in 2016. the pentagon says holding him was "no longer necessary." covid has hit an all-time high across the u.k. almost 5 million people e thought to have the virus, that is according to the british government. that is one in every 13 people. the surge is dven by a more transmissible omicron variant known as ba.2. former alaska governor sarah palin announced yesterday she is

running for congress after more than a decade away from national politics. palin last ran as john's vice president a running mate in 2008. now she joins a crowded field of 50 candidates for alaska's lone house seat. and the stage is set, the south carolina gamecocks, led by a star player, will face off against one of basketball's greatest dynasties, the uconn huskies, for the women's national temperature tomorrow night. the gamecocks one the first national title in 2017, but the huskies have never lost and are seeking their 12th national title. still to come on pbs news weekend, how new rules for student athletes are playing into this year's march madness. and i hit new tv show addresses education equity through a comedic lens. >> this is pbs news weekend, from weta studios in washington,

home of the pbs newshour, weeknights on pbs. jeff: as you may have heard yesterday, the u.s. added 431,000 jobs in march, bringing unemployment down to 3.6%, a pandemic era low. but those numbers only tell part of the story. for mor on what is ahead for americans in the economy, i'm joined by the host of public radio's "full disclosure" podcast which examines business and culture. great to have you in the studio. we should say this is an exceptionally strong march jobs report, but white house officials i talked to are all too aware that american's perceptions of the economy matter more than numbers on paper. and perceptions right now are colored by inflation and high gas prices. robin: if i were an alien dropping down telling you that unemployment is down, 11 straight months of 400,000 plus jobs created, that is the best

clip since the end of the great depression. but inflation, gas prices, the war premium abroad, unfortunately outside of the theoretical, the gas price print is something you see every day it is emblazoned on your general sense of cost, what you are paying with rent, rents are superexpensive in some markets and housing is unattainable for many americans. jeff: there also is this noon that it is a great thing that more people haveobs and are getting paid better wages, but yet that also adds to inflation. robin: they want a not too hot, not too cold market. wages are up 5.5%, but inflation is up closer to 8%, right? you don't have to subscribe to the theoretical to know you're not keeping up with inflation. for better or wor right now, the default wage for a lot of service sector workers is closer

to $15. that was not done by congressr fiat, but by how slow it has been to convince workers to come back after the great resignation. invariably that will lead to inflation. jeff: what about the housing market? are we on the precipice of a housing bubble given how high prices are for houses across the board? robin: it is frothy when you think of people fogoing home inspections. jeff: not quite a bubble, but a little frothy. [laughter] robin: you know, stalking people who may or may not list their homes. yet the systemic outliers we had in the crisis in 2008 are not there. but certainly a lot of buyers are fetishizing this idea that housing prices can keep going up double digits every year. in this case i think it is up to 19% on average. that defies economic physics. how are they going to handle the let down after this? if i have negative equity, i

will walk away from this. if a lot of people decide to sell, you see a housing bust if not an outright crash. jeff: what more can the fed and administration do to address these issues? no president has direct control over the cost of gas. the fed is trying to raise interest rates. that might not benough to wrangle inflationary pressure. what more can be done? it is a limited toolkit. robin: and yet this is probably the most micromanaged economy in u.s. history. you used to have the threat of bankruptcy and depression, but by the federal reserve ratcheting interest rates back up, it is far removed from the natural lake the economy was. while we may not get bread lines and destitution to the extent we did during the depression, you have pblems coming out of it, inventory problems, inflationary problems, housing not affordable

for a generation of americans. we did not mention the stock market. jeff: let's talk about the stock market. robin: it's doen so well during this pandemic, wch is paradoxical. people embraced risk assets. if you have been privileged enough to be sitting on cash, you have a wealth effect. you can look at your 401k and say that is great. the problem is other people who are trying to save for a home or pay off academic debt, and now with inflation they are feeling so chronically behind. jeff: robin, great to have you here. thanks so much for your insight. robin: my pleasure. ♪ jeff: tonight marks the last final four and potentially the final game for duke's mike krzyzewski, known as coach k.

i spoke with a veteran sportswriter about how new rules have changed the game r student athletes and coaches alike. coach k, we took seriously the notion of the student athlete. this is something you've written a lot about. the idea of a student athlete changed dramatically in the last year because of the newcaa rules. howard: he took the notion of a student athlete seriously until it was very clear that the game of being atudent athlete was no longer the game he had once mastered, that mike krzyzewski along with every other coach, once it became clear that the best players were not going to stay two years, never mind four years anymore, coach k adapted the same way the rest adapted. 20 years ago they were talking about kentucky and john calipari and some of the more dastardly coaches exploiting the one and

done rule. then it became the norm. coaches like mike krzyzewski had to do it to stay relevant. jeff: you talk about the one and done dilemma. this is of eskimo player who plays college ball for a single year and then declares himself for the nba draft. how has that changed the game? howard: the one and done rule has changed everything in college basketball for two asons. the first reason is now that you don't have these great crops of players staying together for four years, team a that had the great players is no longer going to be guaranteed good for the next four years will leave after one or two years -- years because those players will leave after one or two years. that diminishes the gap between the number one and 16 seed. we saw saint peter's, a 15 seed, go to the final four. it would not have happened had that talent not been in the nba.

that is a huge factor as to what happened to college basketball. the other factor as well with prevalent that now you haveso something else that did not happen before either, that some of these new schools that we never heard of, they believe they can win. so not only are the other schools not as strong, the dukes and carolinas -- obviously they are here because they are in the final four, but their hold on the sport is not what it once was. jeff: let's talk about this big matchup, duke versus unc. coach k is trying to stay out on top -- to go out on top as he goes into retirement. break down the moment for us. howard: the moment is historic. when it looked like everyone was saying goodbye to coach k and the duke-carolina rivalry, caroli went into duke. they destroyed mike krzyzewski

in his acc farewell. everyone thought this would be the lasting memory of the rivalry. now they are meeting in the final four. you have so many stakes, duke wanting to win the championship, wanting revenge, you have mike krzyzewski wanting to go out on top. that has not happened since john wooden in 1975 wins 10 national championship and goes out on top winning his last one. that would be an amazing story line. on the other hand, carolina is in eighth seed. wouldn't they like to win another championship as well? on the other side of it you've got another blueblood, kansas, trying to win another championship. then villanova is a terrific team that has over the last 15 years escapedhe shadow of the old big east. villanova won the championship in 1985, the great cinderella story. they are not cinderella anymore.

they emerged from the ashes of the old big east and now they are the top. you have four great schools. you have three blue-chip legendary franchises with carolina, duke and kansas, and you have the big uand-coming school villanova, moving into the 21st century. jeff: appreciate you bringing i -- you breaking it down for us. thanks for your time. ♪ now a look at how popular culture is drawing greater awareness to the challenges facing public education. i recently spoke to one of th stars of a tv show schooling people on daily realities inside the classroom. it's part of our arts and culture series. habit elementary is a hit new series on abc tackling the issues of public education and equity using humor.

it is a workplace comedy focused on a group of dedicated teachers at an underfunded elementary school in philadelphia. the approach provided new ways of looking at tough issues and refocusing the audience attention on enduring problems. i'm joined by the veteran actress who plays in elementary school teacher who has seen it all on the show. she later became a cultural fixture thanks to roles in tv shows and films such as "sister act ii." welcome, sheryl lee ralph. the show is abc's first comedy to quadruple its ratings since its premier. why do you think it is resonating? sheryl: there is something about this show, with the use of entertainment, comedy, is talking about something that is

on everybody's minds, and that is teachers and the education, or lack thereof, of america's children. >> sometimes spelled bul, which is interesting. i am teaching the kids some psych words. >> you are abandoning the phonics principal these children need. this is alassroom, not a hoagie stand. >> hoagie! sheryl: abbott elementary is all about paying aention to the needs of the most underrated, underappreciated people in america. america's teachers. >> so disrespectful. sheryl: they deserve more. they deserve more respect. they deserve more support. they derve to be paid more. more should be given to those who mold the hearts and the minds of america's children.

do not take what it is they bring to this country to their communities, to our cities, do not enter estimate that -- do not underestimate that, because you underestimate the possibility ofmerica's children. jeff: ittrikes me that comedy is an interesting way to look at these issues and elevate them, and people don't even know they are learning something that they are watching the show. sheryl: absolutely. that is the magic of our young creator. her mother was a teacher, so she went to school with her mother for years. she saw the inward workings of schoolsike philadelphia, like where she is from, and she has taken her gift of writing, her gift of comedy, or intelligence to write these stories in a way, just bring it home for people. >> i was in a gifted program

too. >> what were you gifted at? being annoying? sheryl: people laugh, they enjoy it, then they have conversations that last for hours once the show is over. i mean, comedy is an amazing thing. it deserves more respect. jeff: how did you meet quinta brunson? i understand you wanted to play the role of the principal, but she had other ideas. sheryl: she had very different ideas. in fact, she was steadfast. she sa absolutely not, we need a queen for mrs. howarand you are that queen. >> how is it going with the new program? >> is a little hard to understand, but i'm getting back to it. someone lost my crypto wallet. >> you come from a different generation so we understand if you are having trouble with it. >> are you kidding me? i love tech. i shop at the app store, have

hotmail, i once even rode in a tesla. sheryl: i was like, i love this girl. she and i had actually met on this set of another show called a black lady's sketch show and she spent a great time just observing me. it was wonderful, some 18 months later, to get this call of an offer for this show that she had. would you please just meet all the people? jeff: what do you think, given your vtage point in your career, you have opened so many doors for young actresses and producers, and you have folks like quinta brunson who are not only stars of their own projects, but creators and producers of them. sheryl: it has been a long and rocky road to get to this place, in an industry that when i was younger than they are now it was ry quick to tell me there was no place in it for me, that it

could only be a side hobby, because there was so lile that would be made available to me, how would i possibly make a living out of it? i had such incredible mentors that came before me. >> they just don't make men like sidney anymore. >> they most certainly do not. [laughter] sheryl: sidney, who we recently lost, cast me in my first film, taught me what it was like to be in an industry that was going to make it difficult for you. lessons right down to you better learn how to do your own hair and makeup because there will not be anybody there to do that for you. we understood how difficult it would be for me. and to not let the industry stop me, because i love what i do so much. i know the heavy lifting that went on to get us to this beautiful time. jeff: wow. this past december marks 40 years since the legendary broadway production of dream

girls for which you are nominated for a tony, as we mentioned. when you reflect back, how do you characterize the impact of that role on your career and the culture generally? sheryl:here is something about the lyrics in the song. >> ♪ all you've got to do is dream, baby ♪ sheryl: ery girl has her own special dream, and those dreams are about to come true if you just open your eyes to what is in front of you. from then until now, i say to all those little girls, look in the mirror, open your eyes and love what you see because you are your dream come true. if i can make it, you can make it. trust me, all things are possible. dream girls has had a major impact and i'm happy to see that impact continue 40 years later. jeff: sheryl lee ralph, thanks so much for your time and congratulations on the success of abbott elementary.

sheryl: thank you. i am barbara howard. jeff: abbott elementary is available to stream on hulu and abc. ♪ and that is pbs news weekend for tonight. i'm gef bennett. join us online and again here tomorrow evening. for all of us at pbs news ekend, thanks for spending part of your saturday with us. >> major funding for pbs news weekend has been provided by -- and with the ongoing support of these individuals and institutions. ♪

this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ ♪

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