A California high school has backed down after parents and students demanded the removal of a controversial photograph described as an example of “anti-Christian bigotry” from one of its courses.
Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, California, included a photograph taken by Andres Serrano in 1987 in a theory of knowledge course that is required for its International Baccalaureate Diploma program. The prestigious program, aimed at upper-level high school students who want to pursue higher education, is recognized by many universities.
The photo shows a plastic crucifix submerged in a small glass tank of what was purported to be the artist’s own urine. The image, which has been displayed in art galleries, caused widespread public outrage when it became known that it was created using funds from a grant provided by the taxpayer-funded National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The controversy ultimately resulted in Congress limiting NEA funding in 1989….