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    Notes from Daddy
    Notes from Daddy
    Notes from Daddy
    Ebook109 pages1 hour

    Notes from Daddy

    By William Johnson

    ()

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    About this ebook

    A Journey of Loss, Grief, and Resilience

    Notes from Daddy follows Henri, a young Black child grappling with the tragic loss of his father. Set during the early days of the public school system, Henri's life is shaped by grief and the challenges of navigating an education system that often overlooks the unique struggles of

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPathway of Faith Ministries, Inc.
    Release dateJan 18, 2023
    ISBN9781959670148
    Notes from Daddy
    Author

    William Johnson

    Having grown-up in proximity to many strong and capable men and women, Dr. William Johnson has benefited from interactions and relationships denoting the special connection between generations of like-minded people: especially in regard to community improvement.His span of experiences includes 21-years in the United States Air Force, management positions within the Financial and Insurance industries, as well as business ownership, and leadership as a member of the clergy. This life trajectory demonstrates the confluence of many of the desirable characteristics collected along a productive life.Active in both church and community, Dr. Johnson is comfortable as the lone voice of dissent against the negative elements of society. This reliability for sober consideration served him well during the effort to desegregate Omaha public schools, as well as during his tenure as president of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Superintendent of Omaha Public Schools.Doctor William Johnson has been a member of the Clergy ranks for over 35 years and the pastor of two different churches as well the chairman of many church groups. Dr. Johnson is the father of four children: two girls, the oldest is an Educator and the youngest is a Medical Doctor, together with grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Two young men, the oldest is a Mechanical Engineer, the youngest is a District Court Judge. Doctor Johnson was married to the late Beverly Ann Johnson, who was a Master Social Worker.The main family has been residents of Omaha, Nebraska for thirty-five plus years. Doctor Johnson brought the family home during his time in the Air Force. He is intimately involved in the development of today's youth in every facet of their growth, from birth to adulthood. Dr. William Johnson also has two Masters Degrees, a Master of Science and a Masters of Divinity and of course a Doctorate, along with numerous hours of advanced studies in various topics.

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      Book preview

      Notes from Daddy - William Johnson

      Dedication

      To All Children who struggle to get a good education. And to the mothers who strive to encourage them. Go in God’s Grace.

      About the Author

      Having grown-up in proximity to many strong and capable men and women, Dr. William Johnson has benefited from interactions and relationships denoting the special connection between generations of like-minded people: especially in regard to community improvement.

      His span of experiences includes 21-years in the United States Air Force, management positions within the Financial and Insurance industries, as well as business ownership, and leadership as a member of the clergy. This life trajectory demonstrates the confluence of many of the desirable characteristics collected along a productive life.

      Active in both church and community, Dr. Johnson is comfortable as the lone voice of dissent against the negative elements of society. This reliability for sober consideration served him well during the effort to desegregate Omaha public schools, as well as during his tenure as president of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Superintendent of Omaha Public Schools.

      Doctor William Johnson has been a member of the Clergy ranks for over 35 years and the pastor of two different churches as well the chairman of many church groups. Dr. Johnson is the father of four children: two girls, the oldest is an Educator and the youngest is a Medical Doctor, together with grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Two young men, the oldest is a Mechanical Engineer, the youngest is a District Court Judge. Doctor Johnson was married to the late Beverly Ann Johnson, who was a Master Social Worker.

      The main family has been residents of Omaha, Nebraska for thirty-five plus years. Doctor Johnson brought the family home during his time in the Air Force. He is intimately involved in the development of today’s youth in every facet of their growth, from birth to adulthood.

      Dr. William Johnson also has two Masters Degrees, a Master of Science and a Masters of Divinity and of course a Doctorate, along with numerous hours of advanced studies in various topics.

      Contents

      Dedication

      About the Author

      Foreword

      Introduction: Melting Pot Vs Jambalaya

      The Early Years

      The Argument

      The Accident

      Suspicions

      First Grade

      Good Advice from a Friend

      The Middle Years

      The Turbulent Years

      The Last Straw

      A New Beginning

      Donna

      A Glimpse at the Man Henri

      Presenting Her Case

      Moving Day

      Spring Break

      Coming of Age

      The Senior Year

      A Game Changer

      The Choice

      Choice Delayed

      Decisions

      Let’s Play Ball

      Gearing Up

      Play Ball

      A Star is Born

      Humility

      Prom Night

      Graduation

      The Years of Grace

      Job Hunting

      Foreword

      There was a time in our state when the public schools of our town were not integrated. Today racism and discrimination are allegedly far behind us. However, segregation has left behind an atmosphere of suspicion and distrust between parents and the institutions that are in charge of educating children.

      This book was conceived when discourse concerning the education achievement gap between racial groups was in full comparison mode in our city. Such discourse led to no fruitful conclusions. However, it did produce innuendoes and silent hard feelings between parents and public school staff.

      It was during one of these discussion periods that my son wrote an article that depicted the Prolonged Aggravated Grief (PAG) in our school system perfectly. I encouraged him to expand the article into a book. After a few weeks of coaching him to expand the article, he asked, Why don’t you write it yourself? I accepted the task and although it has been some years since its completion, I present Henri Harris as an example of such a tortured student.

      Grief in education is an area of concern that I had hoped would have caught the attention of the International Classification of Diseases (ICI). Their then latest publication, ICI-11, introduces Prolonged Grief Disorder, (PGD), but does not specifically touch on the grief felt by Henri in ‘Notes from Dad.’

      The material for this work does not include numbers and statics from noted researchers. Although attention to their labors is appreciated and often put to a practical demonstration in the pursuit of accomplishing this portrayal. The foundation of the observations made here is of those observed effects on young people of being repeatedly stigmatized. It has been demonstrated and attested that a climate of hostility transmitted by voice, eyes and unequal treatment is not conducive to learning. The contention here is that this type of Prolonged Aggravated Grief (PAG) upon an orphaned youth, for theoretically twelve years of public school, may result in a constant state of grief.

      The main character of this book, Henry Harris Jr, AKA Henri, lives the life of an orphaned child. Many of the experiences alleged to be suffered by orphaned children in our public school systems are thrust upon him. It is amazing how many orphaned children that may be among us. It may be safe to say that many orphaned children are not recognized as orphans.

      Therefore, they are not recognized as needing special attention in their struggles to adjust to their deprivation of a missing loved one at home. The lack of identification, and therefore understanding of the orphaned population, may well account for the orphaned factor not being considered in the education gap.

      Introduction:

      Melting Pot Vs Jambalaya

      Jambalaya, crawfish pie, me oh my, oh

      Going to have a good time on the by, oh

      Hank Williams

      My hypothesis is that the much-discussed education achievement gap in our public schools may be explained in terms of grief.

      The focus of this book is black male orphaned children. It hypothesizes that future research will show that much of orphaned black boys’ educational careers are accomplished while bearing near crippling remorse brought on by the loss of the male parent. While it is true grief presents itself upon the loss of either parent. It is the view of this book that it is even more severe when the male parent is absent. The remorse here is the result of aggravated grief brought on, in part, by inconsequential questioning by school staff members.

      Such questioning, together with felt personal devaluation, results in the withdrawal of the student and hinders his ability to learn.

      The term orphan is used to describe a child who has lost a male member of the family for any reason, including sickness, physical, or mental disability.

      Much attention in investigating the problem of underachievement in public schools has been by using mathematical calculations and statistical formulas. Future research will show that these methods only measure the dimensions of the problem, not the cause.

      For most of our existence as a country, we have claimed to be a melting pot of people. To whatever degree we have been successful, we have succeeded in bringing some people to our shores from nearly every continent in the world. We have communities who are invited, the compelled, and the uninvited. With each of these people, groups have come a culture. Simply put, each group has brought a way of thinking with them. The people of this country believed that these diverse communities would take classes upon entry into this country on how to be Americans.

      Classes envisioned included how the United States Senate and Congress worked together but were separate seats of authority and power. They would learn of the office of the President and Vice President. Classes would include the Supreme Court and how it functioned. These and other subjects would make them aware of the

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