"Stacia" wrote in message
Under the crunchy stuff is regular old sheetrock. We'd like to just
scrape all the crunchy stuff off and repaint the ceiling, but I don't know
if that's a good idea or not. Are we liable to cause more problems doing
this? Should we have something over the sheetrock or a special kind of
paint, since it's likely to get wet from humidity and/or splashing water
from the shower?

Usually called a popcorn ceiling.

Get a spray bottle of water, put in a few drops of dish detergent and spray
the ceiling. After a few minutes scrape with a 4" or so wide putty knife.
Be gentle so you don't nick the drywall. Wipe with a wet sponge. Move to
another area.

Put down plenty of newspaper or a drop cloth. Dust mask and a hat are a big
help too.