Hauntology refers to spectral traces, phantom voices, and palimpsestic discourses that help construct a way of understanding ourselves and acting in the world. This essay explores the hauntological shifts within art education's struggle over popular (visual) culture through a review of positions that view popular culture as an embodiment of aesthetic and artistic suffering. The article begins with a chronological overview of arguments against popular culture from cultural critics throughout the last two centuries. Then, the article presents positions from art educators that fear and loathe popular culture based on some of the same critiques. The article ends with an exploration of phantom influences on the current debate regarding the legitimacy of visual culture as a new paradigm. It is argued that concerns over popular (visual) culture in art education have strong ties to the past and return repeatedly to haunt the field. (Contains 5 footnotes.)