Record 11,982 US School Book Bans in 2025-26 Driven by AI and State Laws
PEN America reports a record 11,982 book bans in US public schools for the 2025-26 year, driven by new state laws in Texas and Florida and the use of AI to flag titles. The surge affected over 7,300 unique works, with fiction and manga heavily targeted, while 114 school districts enacted bans.
Key points
- PEN America recorded 11,982 book bans in the 2025-26 school year, the highest single-year total since tracking began in 2021.
- Texas led with 8,193 bans, fueled by Senate Bill 13, while Florida followed with 3,212 bans driven by state-level pressure campaigns.
- Over 7,370 unique titles were banned, including 4,500 new entries, affecting more than 4,000 authors and illustrators.
- School districts increasingly use AI tools to flag books for removal based on titles previously banned or challenged elsewhere.
- Stephen King was the most frequently banned author for the second consecutive year, with 312 removals, while Patricia McCormick's 'Sold' was the most banned individual title.
Background
This record follows a historic surge in book bans since the early 2020s, with PEN America and the American Library Association documenting increasing censorship efforts. The current spike coincides with Banned Books Week, highlighting ongoing debates over intellectual freedom in US schools.
How outlets are covering it
HuffPost emphasizes the impact on specific titles like 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' and 'Speak,' highlighting librarian perspectives on the value of these books for students. CBC notes the inclusion of Canadian authors like Margaret Atwood and Ryan North among the banned works. The Guardian focuses on the role of AI tools and state laws, while Yahoo highlights Texas's dominance, accounting for over two-thirds of the bans.
Why it matters
The record number of book bans threatens students' access to diverse perspectives and literature, impacting their education and intellectual freedom. The use of AI to flag titles raises concerns about the scalability and accuracy of censorship efforts in US schools.
What to watch
As Banned Books Week concludes, attention will shift to ongoing efforts by parents, students, and educators to challenge censorship. The impact of AI tools and state laws on future book bans will be closely monitored, with potential legal challenges to restrictive legislation.
- Book Bans Just Hit A Record High in The U.S. — And Guess Which States Led The Nation? HuffPost
- A Spotlight on School Book Bans PEN America
- Works by Canadian authors Margaret Atwood and Ryan North among books banned in U.S. schools CBC
- US book bans in public schools reach record annual high of 12,000 The Guardian
- Texas Accounted for More Than Two-Thirds of U.S. School Library Book Bans Yahoo
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