Central Coast high school bans display of crucifix-in-urine art from college-level course

A Central Coast high school won’t use a 1987 piece of art called “Piss Christ” in its college-level Theory of Knowledge class after the work offended some students and parents.

Student John Hayward and others spoke to the Santa Barbara Unified School District board on May 23, calling for the art piece to be removed from instruction at Dos Pueblos High School.

“After having a conversation with the current and future teachers of this course, we are supporting their decision to select other supplemental resources for engaging our students in critical thinking, while also meeting the needs of the International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge curriculum,” said Bill Woodard, principal of Dos Pueblos.

He said that the class, at its core, asks students to “reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and on areas of knowledge, and (to) consider the role and nature of knowledge in their own culture, in the cultures of others and in the wider world.”

The art might still be mentioned in conversation, but a visual will not be shown.

“As the principal at Dos Pueblos High School, I am proud of the academic rigor of our courses that lead to some of the best academic results in the state,” Woodard said. “We believe in having intellectually stimulating conversations while also being inclusive of all students in our community.”

The image was shown in a PowerPoint slide to discuss the topic of “what is art,” according to Ed Zuccheli, a spokesman for the district.

“When a student, who was not enrolled in the class but heard the piece was discussed, objected, the school administrators met with the student and family to discuss their concerns,” Zuchelli said, adding that “the district recognizes that the use of the image invokes hurtful responses among many in the community. Because the course curriculum can adequately be covered by discussion and through the utilization of other slides, the image will not be included in the future.”

Hayward, a junior at Dos Pueblos, said during the school board meeting that he spent the past six months trying to have the “anti-Catholic” image removed.

Sophomore Eli Richardson, who also spoke at the meeting, said he prayed that the school board would make the right decision.

“I have a great, deep respect for all of you, for doing what you are doing, so please respect each individual’s religious right,” Richardson said.

“Piss Christ,” a photograph by American artist Andres Serrano, features an image of a small plastic crucifix submerged in urine.

The controversial artwork was “a central element in the so-called culture wars of the late 1980s and ’90s,” according to Britannica.com. “The piece and others of a similar confrontational nature caused a re-examination in the United States of funding for the arts.”

“I pay my taxes,” said David Acosta, a parent of a student in the district. “I don’t appreciate my money going to people who are teaching my son ideologies that are not in line with what I am trying to raise him to be.”

This story was originally published June 15, 2023 at 1:22 PM.