Directors drop poetry from senior center newsletter

Young Chang

COSTA MESA -- Controversy surrounding the banning of a Christian poem

from the Costa Mesa Senior Center’s November newsletter led the

facility’s board of directors to approve a policy this week clarifying

what the publication will contain in the future.

The newsletter, The Chronicle, will now only run such information as

current class schedules, senior events, announcements, birthdays,

anniversaries and paid advertisements, said Aviva Goelman, the center’s

director.

For the last five years, Mabel Knowles, 88, has had her poetry printed

in the center’s publication. But late last year, she was told her poem

“Try Prayer” was not suitable because of its religious nature and use of

words such as “Jesus” and “savior.”

Goelman, who took over as director in September, said in an earlier

interview that the center should not favor one religion over another and

that religious poems cannot be printed in The Chronicle. It is a decision

the board supported by passing the new guidelines at a meeting Tuesday.

Goelman met with Knowles and her friend Frank Champlin on Friday to

reiterate the center’s stance.

“This is the policy that they set,” Goelman said. She declined to

address whether this varies from the center’s former policy.

Board members could not be reached for comment.

Champlin said the Friday meeting did not accomplish much.Knowles was

unavailable for comment.

Goelman “said that she worked for the board, and it wasn’t her

decision,” Champlin said. “It was a cordial meeting, but nothing really

was resolved, with the exception that it’s going to stay the same way it

has been.”

Earlier this month, leaders of the center’s Senior Meals and Services

program told Knowles she could no longer publicly share her prayers out

loud before mealtimes in the dining hall-- a practice she has continued

for at least five years without controversy.

Goelman made no indication that the situation with prayer would

change, Champlin said.