A new movement has appeared recommending, in part, that the field of art education should lessen its traditional ties to drawing, painting, and the study of masterpieces to become the study of visual culture. Visual cultural study refers to an all-encompassing category of cultural practice that includes the fine arts but also deals with the study of various forms of popular culture; the folk traditions of artmaking; industrial, interior, package and graphic design; photography; commercial illustration; and the entertainment media including cinema, television, and their electronic extensions via the computer and the Internet. It includes the design of built environments in public spaces such as theme parks, fast food restaurants, and shopping malls. The presence of these potent sources of visual imagery has changed American culture and the lives of children growing up in the midst of these influences. However, the field of art education has done little to prepare children to deal with this onslaught. In this paper, the author of this article reviews some problems that make the study of the visual arts difficult at this time. (Contains 8 endnotes.)