Edhat Staff
By the edhat staff
After complaints from a Catholic student and his parents, a 1987 piece of art has been removed from a college-level course at Dos Pueblos High School.
Last month John Hayward, a junior at Dos Pueblos, asked for the art piece “Piss Christ” to be removed from the class during a Santa Barbara Unified School Board meeting. Hayward is not enrolled in the class but stated he worried he might have to take the class next year.
Immersion (Piss Christ) is a photograph by American artist and photographer Andres Serrano. It depicts a small plastic crucifix submerged in a small glass tank of the artist’s urine. The piece was a winner of the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art’s “Awards in the Visual Arts” competition, according to Wikipedia.
Piss Christ by Serrano Andres (1987) [wikipedia]
The Santa Barbara Unified School District said the image was shown during a PowerPoint presentation while discussing the topic of “what is art?” The class, Theory of Knowledge, is designed for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know.
It is a required course in the high school’s International Baccalaureates (IB) program which aims to “provide an education that enables students to make sense of the complexities of the world around them, as well as equipping them with the skills and dispositions needed for taking responsible action for the future,” according to the program website.
Supporters of Hayward called the image “sacrilegious” and “hate speech” that “undermines the Catholic faith,” even though the artist has stated he meant no harm.
“I had no idea Piss Christ would get the attention it did, since I meant neither blasphemy nor offense by it. I’ve been a Catholic all my life, so I am a follower of Christ,” Serrano said in a 2017 interview with VICE.
Hayward’s family hired the conservative lawfirm, the Thomas More Society, to send a letter to the school district requesting the removal of the image citing “anti-Catholic” beliefs and “religious discrimination.”
The district’s lawyer responded stated a different teacher would lead the course next year and the image would not be used. Although the law firm pushed back threatening to sue if the district did not confirm the image be permanently discontinued.
Bill Woodard, principal of Dos Pueblos High School, stated that after conversation with teachers the image will no longer be shown, but the artwork may still be discussed in conversation.
“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.”
In a press release issued earlier this month, Hayward stated the end result is a “small, yet significant, victory for Our Lord.”
Really disappointed in DP for doing that. Spineless.
They should give schools immunity against curriculum based lawsuits. This is a very slippery slope!
OGSB religion is a choice. Race is not.
Get GOD out of the classroom! Separation of church and state!
That’s not what separation of church and state mean. Educate yourself…
Yes let’s protect the sanctity of Catholicism and do not offend the Catholics with a piece of art created by a Catholic follower.
What’s that? Children are continuing to be molested by Catholic priests and they are still protecting them and paying out settlements and refusing to acknowledge the truth and people still support the organization and it’s “sanctity?”
Yes, but let’s focus on an angry white male teen about how he feels persecuted for his faith.
John Hayward and family are simply pathetic. He’s not even in the class. What a joke.
This kid is going to need sheltering his whole life. Imagine him going to a public university and complaining about being offended by an art history class?
It’s not in an art history class…
Pedophile protectors upset by art and hire lawyers to ban it.
Florida has landed in California
Also, DP totally screwed this up. They are censoring curriculum because of a single request, do they not see where that can go?
What if I am offended by the inclusion of Thomas Jefferson in US History classes because he was a slave owner.
BLOT HIS NAME OUT lest I be offended? Really?
It’s actually pathetic. So give a disclaimer before every single class that dares to discuss ideas.
“This class discusses ideas. You might not like some of them. If you can’t handle being exposed to ideas that you don’t like, then our suggestion is you take a pottery class instead.”
That’s obviously what some of the righty-tighties here did.
Alex- Bro, comparing actual history and a piece of controversial art, not in an art class, is not even close to the same. I remember when that came out and it was extremely controversial.
Plus , if the law firm suing is out of State. Ban them, FORVER. This is Cali!
Truth!???
“…Permanently Removed…” [REALLY?!?!?!} GTFOHWTBS, Hello, once the offended party leaves High School Forever. Freedom of Speech Returns for the MASSES of OPENMINDED?? Ridiculous!!!!!
No self respecting Californian calls it “Cali”. You must be a transplant.
So you don’t understand that censoring one piece of art because of an individual’s desire leads to censoring pretty much everything.
Beyond that, my hate against people who believe what?
Gotcha.
OGSB–that’s fair, history and art are not the same. Remaining completely within the world of the arts, however, we can come up with thousands of examples of what I am saying though, can’t we?
For example, any art history class. even in high school will be full of lots of religious images, many of them of Jesus.
So you must be completely okay with my going to SBUSD and demanding that they remove every single image which depicts Jesus as a white man with blue eyes and light hair, right? Because that art intentionally misrepresents Jesus and that offends me, so let’s you and I go down there and get these offensive images removed.
The “hate has no home here” libs sure seem to foam at the mouth with hate for Jesus. If it was a photo of a rainbow flag in a toilet and it was called art, you’d all have meltdowns
Gregoreo, as the article stated, Serrano is a Catholic and said quite clearly that his intent was not at all to be blasphemous. So where is the hate you speak of?
Beyond that, you have been chilling for decades while Catholic priests raped kids with the knowledge of the church. If you were to ask Jesus what hurt his heart more, a picture of a wooden figure of him in a glass of urine or thousands of children being raped and scarred for life, what exactly do you think he would say?
GREG – nope. No hate, just love for artistic freedom.
Just because the creator wasn’t offended by his work doesn’t mean most Christians probably are! It’s like The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence aren’t trying to offend other Catholics… Come on. It’s all hate and that’s fine, but keep it out of our schools. Just like ALL hate.
It’s my Open-Minded-B-Day-Rap-Post. Good Night Y’all!
Geo, I want some of what you’re having! lol 🙂
b-day, really? Happy happy to ya.
Oh, GIMME A BREAK, Gregoreo. There is no hate for Jesus. While I personally find that art piece reprehensible, horrid and offensive, I would not ban it. Art should never be banned. Freedom of speech and expression. Don’t like it? Don’t look at it. I don’t like many of the things right wingers say, but I’d defend their right to say it. This is America.
It’s obvious some posting here never took a college level art or literature class…..
Not Really. Art, has to get “stupid” sometimes for some smart-ones to not trully ever understand. It’s just Art, or a possibly for many an Existential Synthesis oreven an Existntial-Crisis to be diverted or even the embracing of such existance and possibly a ridiculous expression of any or all crazy opinions upon theology / religion or any other aspect of this over-hydrated–moment of a story. sorry, I may have to go tinkle. L O hello Love! LOL Oww!
Even for some of those overly-cognatively-inspired-or-over-educated-Anylitical-understanding scholars— really-Often-art is just a two minute temporary thought or expression-inspiration—So. For others, maybe just a quickly ponder and / or to have their own tizzy. Get real about artzy art See, my opinion is lit / It is like an artistic fart / it may rhyme with Bart/ or may possibly may ring in Your Heart /, OF LIFE, YUP, NOT EVERYONE will EVER AGREE! Thats been true since the Universal start of ones own Theeee. On anything regarding All, including The Human-Condition-OR-Related–Dynamics on any chart quite possibility quite, POSSIBLY. Please do not blame U or Meeeee!
IF = Art is A Human Freedom, even if it sounds ridiculous, aginst Your Personal Belifs, OR against Your own Opinions / Self-Policies, Against Your own made-up-Laws or inequalities.
Most art , is only and artisticaly understood to be a wonderfully opinionated expression with no ability to be harmful or of any enforcement of any rules, policy, or law, It’s just ART you see. [Hahaha.] Wheather Literary, Video, Podcast, Book, Picture, etc. LOL (Maybe just) Laugh at it, and try to Think-Openly!!! Maybe, it’s that, this life in a complicated PERSONAL-FLUX, a pesronal Experience??? Thus, Leave it Alone, for others to enterpret-see. LOL Live as sisters and brothers, in some form of UNITY!!!
No book should be banned. Imagine if the “The RElativetY, SpecIal And RelatIveTheorY” had been banned by any theocratic-authoritarians. Wow, then really almost no book should be banned. Unless it is that libel or slaner against any persom, or as an example aparent. Like what happened for a while in Child Custody Cases, and The Judge thrived on that, in SB County! Ooooff!! See my bias, opnininated, painfully?
If DP tries to fight this, they wind up burning lots of taxpayer money that should be going towards educating kids. It’s not spineless, it’s common sense. No win situation for them against a parent and the Thomas More Society that are likely ready to take them full-on in court. And yeah, what if it was a rainbow flag in a toilet? Artistic freedom still?
More whatabouts from BASIC. Surprise. Yes, artistic freedom still.
Yep, artistic freedom. Personally, either Piss Christ, or Rainbow Flag in a toilet are interesting works of art to me, but they may be worth discussing. That whole cancel culture thing around ideas that are uncomfortable are for intellectually soft people.
Alex- What is part of either are worth a discussion? Besides stupid blog comments.
Yes, artistic expression, STILL, even if it is filled with hate.
Try again in English, man, that literally makes no sense.
Get real. You think the District should go to court over this and we’ll (meaning us parents and taxpayers) all be better off? I’ve got a bridge to sell ya…. Hey, I think it’s a joke too, but priority 1 isn’t court battles – our kids aren’t getting a high quality education to begin with right now.
What about that is “whataboutism”, whatever the F- that’s supposed to mean….lol
I think you just figured it out for yourself Alex. Anyways, so you think the District should fight this in court, or are you just commenting here to harass people who have differing views?
Only a soft a melted snowflake considers an expression of ideas to be “harassment”.
Easy fix.
Replace Jesus with Mohammed and get yourself a 24/7/365 bodyguard, food tester.
Actually, no religion should be marginalized, derided in a public school. There are ways to teach art without the visual of immersing religious icons in piss and unless you would dare do Mohammed, come see me when you intend to.
Personally, I would not worship or believe in a deity the needs me to protect his/her image, but it is disrespectful towards others who do care.
Well said OG.
One day, I hope they see the truth
This puppet show stays on because of you fools
We’ve been dancing with the devil way too long
I know it’s fun, but get ready to pay your dues
Oh God, come back home
This crazy world is filled with liars and abusers
We need you now, before we’re too far gone
I hope one day they finally see the truth
God, we need you
I know the truth is hard to swallow, just digest it
Suspected something’s goin’ on, but chose to just neglect it
Deflected by some breaking news, oh we just accept it
Expected just to fall in line and follow their perspective
Don’t question their objective, but I got a lot of questions
How these kids molested but nobody’s been arrested?
Read it in the Testament these children are protected
So I’m fighting all these terrorists, both foreign and domestic
Refuse to be directed, lion not a sheep
Only kneel to my God, so I’m dying on my feet
Silence when we speak, but there’s violence in the street
I’ve been rollin’ with the punches, I can’t take it on the cheek
I drink from a glass half full, I’m optimistic
People are sadistic, so vicious and malicious
Prayin’ for assistance to overcome opposition or I’m gonna start resistin’, and then I pray for forgiveness. Struggle Jennings;)
Way to not prepare students for the real world. You don’t get to complain to Mommy & Daddy about everything you don’t like and get it changed just for you.
Exactly! The parents should be ashamed. What a sad joke they are not just to their child but to the world.
I am still waiting for someone to agree that if the desire is to utilize controversial religious art in the class as a “teaching moment”, then why not next year use art that depicts Mohammed for discussion?
And to those advocating to “shut this clown [the father] down”, will you be providing the pitchforks and torches for your mobs?
Racjax,
Sure, personally, I’m fine with images of Mohammed because in my world there is no such thing as religious “blasphemy.” I’m not bound by your or any other religion in any fashion at all, nor will I allow myself to be. I choose to NOT make statements that offend others’ religious beliefs because to do so would be unnecessarily hurtful and rude. But you’re not going to dictate to me what I can or can’t see.
What I am not understanding here is where you are trying to go with the comparison? Are you trying to say that the “libs” wouldn’t stand for a controversial piece of art featuring Mohammed but are fine with a controversial piece of art featuring Christ? Because you may be aware that liberals have spent far more time defending disgusting and objectionable speech under the 1st amendment than conservatives have.
Are you trying to argue that Christians should be as extreme on this topic as some Muslims and start (well continue) killing anyone that they considered to have blasphemed?
Not sure at all what you are even advocating for. Are you?
Oh look, the art world and Catholicism colliding. Two of the most rotten, sexual predator-protecting, money laundering piles of filth in existence today. Both have fallen so far. Homophobic religious conservatives are worried about the wrong men in dresses and the wrong forms of blasphemy.
The ironic part of all this feedback is that if this “protest” had not been filed, the image would have been seen once by an AP class as part of a discussion of “What Is Art?” It was included because many people feel that it is not. It would have been seen by one class for less than a day. Now it has become a weeks-long argument on EdHat, exposing the image to the whole community, and generating all kinds of defenses of it. Good job!
..own. The dialogue on the topic has expanded beyond the classroom here which is amazing! Our democracy depends on its citizens using critical thinking on issues.
The teacher can refer to controversial works and remind students they can research (Google) them on their
It is a first amendment right to take my beliefs anywhere I want, but if we did get God completely out of the public school classroom, then Piss Christ would not be allowed in either because it is art featuring a religious icon.
The founder of the USA were very clear that their intent was not to ban religious expression in public places, but to ban the establishment of a state religion like the Church of England or the Russian Orthodox in Russia today. Burma also has a state religion, Buddhism, and requires, by force, that villages of those ethnicities who do not practice Buddhism to build Buddhist temples and to donate food, housing, and money to the monks. Monks, who are not native to the area, are usually from Yangon and selected by the government (All Buddhists are not peaceful- when Americans think of Buddhism, they are thinking of an Americanized offshoot of a Tibetan variant)
I don’t think the piece should have been banned from the classroom, but to me it is lazy to pick on Catholicism. Lazy like when some person spoke “truth to power” at George Bush and was heralded as so brave- its not- Pussy Riot was brave to stand up to Putin, barking at Bush was about the safest political stunt imaginable. You want animated discussion, place Piss Christ next the the Charlie Hebdo cartoons of Mohammed and get 5 other provocative pieces from 5 other world religions. Discuss. If you can’t handle it, stay home
The snowflake family that reported this are well known local members of the John Birch society and the father’s actions won’t fly with his employers. Go sell worm fields in Texas. Pathetic and coward parenting involves putting kids in a safe space so they can’t see or hear anything that discomforts them. Rethuglican far right fascists are cancel culture.
The catholic church has started wars, murdered and enslaved tens of millions of people, denied the earth revolves around the sun, molested hundreds of thousands of kids and continue to groom without reproach ….. but yes, the feelings police put these smurfs in their safe space. Jesus was invented to placate the poor. No historical evidence of her existence!
If they were studying a piece of artwork in that class that was offensive to BIPOC or LGBT people it would be removed in a hot minute, and everybody here knows that.
If you read the conversation being had…….. AGAIN, religion is a choice, race/sexual orientation are not. It’s such a basic concept. Do you have any arguments that actually apply here?
I think you nailed it SBDude. Hate directed at Christians is protected free speech and the school should fight for it. Hate speech directed at a favored class of people is “literally violence” and punishable as a crime. Glaring double standard. Perhaps schools should focus on teaching rather than controversial political ideology and indoctrination.
SBDUDE, what makes you think that they aren’t studying art that is offensive to BIPOC or LGBTQ people?
As if you know the curriculum. LOL.
So are you right winger censorship fans suggesting that all art that could be considered offensive to someone should not be shown in a high school class?
Notice how they aren’t denying their bigotry but justifying it.
VOICE – what bigotry? Defending freedom of art is now “bigotry?”
SBDUDE – aside from your blatant whataboutism, how about some originality? How many folks have said the same thing here? It’s foolish. No one here has said they would be against a rainbow flag or something in urine. It’s ART. It can and SHOULD offend everyone. Name one person here who has said this is not offensive, but if it were against BIPOC or LGBQT it WOULD be offensive? Name one.
CHIP, why would you categorize Seranno’s piece as “hate directed at Christians”.
Any way for you to explain or back that claim up? Have you read what the artist said about it?
People are interpreting the image and putting hate where there is none intended. That’s a “you” problem buddy.
I think it’s sad the principal Mr Woodard and the Santa Barbara Board of Education have issued no public apology. This is so offensive not only to Catholics but to any Christian.
It’s no wonder the school district is sued so often, administration is tone deaf to parents. It just wasn’t the student and family , other teachers and students at the school were also upset about this and threatened to protest. It wasn’t until the legal firm got involved and a group of students and parents spoke at a school board meeting that the offense “piss Christ” was removed. I’m glad the law firm is holding the district to permanently removing it under threat of litigation . Not long ago the sexual molestation law suit, settled for almost One million dollars, where the teacher was moved around for years by the district with full knowledge of continuing complaints of sexual harassment. Must have had friends in high places. It would be nice if next election we can get some new board members that put students and parents above politics.
Absolutely HILARIOUS to me that you’re defending the Catholic Church and in the same breath admonishing the school district for harboring a teacher accused of molestation. Because the catholics have been soooooo good at protecting children? HAHAHAHAHAHAAH
If you’ve read the full article and background about the teacher, you’ll realize that the district tried to have him fired for a VERY long time, but were blocked.
Also, what 8:47 am says about the Catholic Church is spot on. bahahahaha.
Father is Colin Hayward a realtor at village. Selling or buying a house? Don’t use that jerk
If it it was a photo of Allah in Piss he wouldn’t even be alive today…
Is this fooo, even slightly educated or open-minded to comment?? LoL @Hunk??
Yikes. Islamophobia is not cool.
Dad Colin is also on the board of the fiesta. Time to shut this clown down. https://www.sbfiesta.org/links/2375-el-comit%C3%A9-ejecutivo-the-executive-committee/resources/8714-colin-hayward
In todays super sensitive PC world this is considered hate speech.
Those who disagree discriminate arbitrarily.
Unfortunately 1st amendment rights are vanishing.
So, Michaelangelo, who painted the Sistine ceiling would look at this as “art”.
Statues of George Washington and other founders removed but a pissed on image of Jesus has to stay. Upside down world.
It’s not “pissed on”, it’s the dead Christ immersed in his bodily fluids, emphasizing the suffering he went through for humanity — according to the artist.
“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
— Isaac Asimov
Did you even read the artist’s statement about the piece? I’m guessing you haven’t.
Dad: https://m.facebook.com/colin.b.hayward
Anyone go to his page, scroll down, he’s got another artistic statement posted and in favor of.
“Do as I say, not as I do” classic religious folks
“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
— Isaac Asimov
This is in full display on this page.
Yup. Closed minded people who want dinner in a minute or less. And other cheap and uninformed instant solutions in a few minutes. Instant Champioms, lets say, on Social media, ETC etc.
For many years, the Catholic Church continued to deny that the earth revolved around the sun.
This is a matter of art/arts education, the controversy is perhaps biggest teaching moment about the arts that youngsters could have. Congrats to Hayward.
Snowflake parents….the minority trying to take over what is taught. If your little feelers are hurt by things like this then sit your child out during that class. If you don’t want your child to read a certain book then tell them not to read it. Do not take away art and literature away from students who want to learn. Sorry, not sorry, but the principal was wrong here in caving to the far-right religious ideologues.
Ahhh GenTree –
Such a hypocritical viewpoint. You want to decide what’s taught in schools, but no one can object?
The woke movement? More like the joke movement
People who aren’t literate missed the point. Let patents object, but let their pathetic snowflake kids sit out that 10 minutes of the class. The parent and the kid who objected to this are garbage. The realty office that employs this sod is going to get some phone calls. But you do you.
I puzzled over the artist’s message until I read this interview with Serrano:
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/apr/03/andres-serrano-interview-donald-trump-piss-christ
Not exactly what my first guess was (and likely not Hayward’s either). Now that I know, this is really going to be a lost teaching moment. We need more kids who can become critical thinkers. I give Hayward’s son an “F” for reacting with his gut instead of his brain. He’s probably watched too many American movies where they explain everything at the end rather than letting the viewer figure it out.
From the link to the IB program provided in the article:
“OPEN MINDED: We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.”
Maybe Hayward should not enroll in the IB program.
Perhaps I should have said “… *thinking* with his gut instead of his brain”.
Having gut/emotional initial reactions are understandable. But a hallmark of understanding is the ability to put those first impressions aside to think things through.
That’s what good artists do … they hook you with that first impression in hopes of making you look past the surface.
He wasn’t even enrolled!
I’m offended there are religious clubs on campus so I’m prepared to start a class action lawsuit to get them shut down.
Ban books. Ban poems. Ban art. Ban anything other than straight, cis, white, Christianity. Everything else is banned courtesy of religion and republicans.
It is amusing to me to see those who constantly cry about the left being the “cancel culture,” here crying and screaming to CENSOR ART. Hypocrisy knows no bounds.