All articles tagged with #book bans
PEN America reports nearly 12,000 book bans in US public schools for the 2025-2026 year, the highest since tracking began in 2021. Texas and Florida led the surge, driven by new state laws and AI tools that flag titles for removal. Over 7,300 unique titles were affected, with fiction and manga heavily targeted.
PEN America reports a record 11,982 book bans in U.S. public schools for the 2025-26 year, with Texas and Florida leading due to new laws and AI-driven removals.
PEN America reports nearly 12,000 book bans in US public schools for 2025-2026, a record high. Texas and Florida led the surge, driven by new state laws and AI tools that flag titles for removal. Over 7,000 unique titles were affected, with fiction and manga heavily targeted.
A PEN America report says U.S. public libraries are under intense political pressure and censorship, with incidents of book bans, targeted attacks on librarians, governance encroachments, and funding threats, raising concerns about access to diverse books and information; the study points to cases in Tennessee, Idaho, Alabama, and Florida, notes thousands of school book bans since 2021 (over half occurring in public libraries), and highlights efforts by communities to defend reading rights amid rising censorship.
Utah’s state board of education expanded a statewide ban on Stephen King’s Different Seasons after several districts removed the four novellas for “objective sensitive material.” The collection—linked to films like Stand by Me and The Shawshank Redemption—includes Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, Apt Pupil, The Body, and The Breathing Method and was previously available to grades 7–12. Bans are triggered when enough districts (three, or two districts plus five charter schools) deem material harmful to minors; as of mid-July Utah lists 35 banned titles. The ACLU filed suit in January challenging the bans as unconstitutional under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, highlighting ongoing clashes over censorship in U.S. schools.
Jane Fonda headlines a rally outside Washington’s Kennedy Center urging Americans to defend free speech amid criticisms of a Trump-era crackdown on the arts and media, highlighting book bans, defunding, and censorship as threats to the First Amendment.
The article discusses the ongoing issue of book bans in the US, especially in Texas, highlighting efforts to oppose censorship and suggesting gifting banned books like Isabel Allende's 'The House of the Spirits' and Judy Blume's 'Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret' as a form of subtle rebellion and support for free expression.
Since 2021, PEN America has documented over 22,800 cases of book bans across 45 states and 451 school districts in the U.S., targeting a wide range of books including classics, LGBTQ+ themes, and topics on race and violence, with the most banned titles often reflecting controversial social issues.
US librarians and civil rights groups are fighting against widespread book bans targeting LGBTQ+ and racial content, viewing these efforts as a manufactured crisis fueled by conservative groups. Legal victories and grassroots resistance highlight the importance of libraries as democratic institutions and safe spaces for marginalized communities, despite personal and professional repercussions faced by librarians.
Amid rising book bans in the US, particularly targeting books on race, LGBTQ+ themes, and controversial topics, a systematic attack on literacy and critical thinking is underway, fueled by well-funded conservative groups. Despite widespread public opposition, efforts to restrict access to diverse stories continue, reflecting a broader attempt to control education and suppress marginalized voices, even as reading habits decline.
A report by PEN America highlights a surge in book bans across U.S. schools during the 2024-25 school year, with over 6,800 bans affecting 3,752 titles, predominantly targeting LGBTQ-themed books and controversial topics, reflecting a trend reminiscent of Cold War-era censorship.
PEN America reports a significant rise in book bans in U.S. schools during 2024-2025, with nearly 7,000 bans despite a slight decrease from the previous year, highlighting ongoing censorship and challenges to books on topics like LGBTQ+ and controversial themes, especially in states like Florida, Texas, and Tennessee.
A new wave of book bans is sweeping Florida school districts, with hundreds of titles, including classics and books about LGBTQ+ and diverse experiences, being removed from libraries amid political and ideological pressures, reflecting a broader national trend of censorship driven by conservative backlash against teachings on race, gender, and diversity.
Florida education officials report that hundreds of books, including works by Toni Morrison and Stephen King, have been removed from school libraries following challenges by parents and residents. Recent state laws have facilitated these removals, leading Florida to lead the nation in book bans, according to the American Library Association and PEN America. The removed books often feature LGBTQ themes, discussions of gender and sexuality, or are deemed "sexually explicit" by conservative advocates. Legal challenges have arisen, with some districts facing lawsuits over restricted access to literature.
Florida's Department of Education has released a list of over 700 books removed from schools following a state law allowing parents to challenge library content. The list, which has doubled since last year, includes classics like "Beloved" and "Slaughterhouse-Five." The law, House Bill 1069, mandates a process for parents to object to materials deemed inappropriate. Critics argue this has led to widespread censorship, driven by conservative groups, limiting students' access to diverse literature. Florida leads the nation in book bans, with significant financial and educational impacts reported.