PEN America: Nearly 12,000 School Book Bans in a Year, a Record High
The report counted 11,982 bans affecting 7,370 works, with race, sexuality and gender identity among the most common objections.
- On Monday, PEN America reported nearly 12,000 book bans in public schools over the past year, marking the highest total since the free-expression organization began tracking removals five years ago.
- The report titled "Banned in the USA" found 11,982 cases affecting 7,370 individual works, with objections frequently centering on themes of race, racism, sexuality, and gender identity.
- Stephen King was the author most likely to have his work withdrawn, with 312 removals; commonly targeted titles include Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale," Laurie Halse Anderson's "Speak," and Patrick McCormick's "Sold."
- Monday's report arrives during "Banned Books Week," when events at schools and libraries nationwide call attention to censorship efforts that impede students' access to diverse views and literature.
- The American Library Association uses different methodology, counting only permanently pulled books, which yielded a lower count of 5,600 instances reported in April.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Schools Saw Record 12,000 Book Bans In Last Year
PEN America writes via press release: PEN America today reported nearly 12,000 book bans in public schools nationwide during the 2025-2026 school year—the largest number in a single year. New state censorship laws accounted for much of the increase, coupled with the use of artificial intelligence to remove books en masse including popular manga series … The post Schools Saw Record 12,000 Book Bans In Last Year appeared first on Joe.My.God..
Nearly 12,000 School Book Bans Mark New U.S. Record
Washington, DC — U.S. public schools recorded nearly 12,000 book bans during the 2025-2026 school year, the highest annual total documented since PEN America began tracking removals in 2021. The free-expression organization counted 11,982 bans involving 7,370 individual titles across 114 school districts. Since 2021, PEN America has documented roughly 34,000 instances of books being removed or restricted from student access. Texas accounted for …
Book bans hit record near 12,000 as Stephen King tops list again and schools turn to AI
Nearly 12,000 bans took place in public schools over the past year, according to a new study from PEN America, the highest total since the free expression organization began tracking removals five years ago. For the second straight year, Stephen King was the author most likely to have his work withdrawn.
PEN America: Nearly 12,000 school book bans in a year, a record high – WTOP News
NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly 12,000 bans took place in public schools over the past year, according to a new study from PEN America, the highest total since the free expression organization began tracking removals five years ago. For the second straight year, Stephen King was the author most likely to have his work withdrawn....
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