UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – According to PEN America, U.S. public schools imposed a total of 11,982 book bans during the 2025-26 academic year. This figure marks the highest annual total since the organization started tracking school restrictions in 2021. These bans impacted 7,370 unique titles across 114 school districts. Over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators are represented in the data. Notably, Canadian writers Margaret Atwood and Ryan North were among those whose works faced restrictions.
Among the titles affected was Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, while North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure was newly added to PEN America’s index. More than half of the restricted titles were young-adult books. Fiction made up over 80% of all bans recorded. Additionally, over 4,500 titles appeared in the index for the first time, expanding the scope of books involved in disputes over school collections.
The majority of the bans were concentrated in Texas and Florida, which together accounted for the vast bulk of the total. Texas recorded over 8,100 cases, while Florida’s count exceeded 3,200. PEN America noted that legislation in these states influenced bans in 72% of the districts it monitored. During the 2025-26 school year, Texas Senate Bill 13 increased parental oversight of school library content. The law also established statewide regulations targeting content deemed harmful, indecent, profane, or inappropriate for minors.
Conservative activism influences book censorship efforts
Groups aligned with conservative causes have played a prominent role in campaigns aimed at removing books from public school shelves. Organizations such as Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have been active in challenging school materials. PEN America has previously characterized these groups as part of a larger conservative movement focused on education and parental rights. National library data for 2025 revealed that pressure groups, government officials, and institutional decision-makers accounted for 92% of reported book challenges. In contrast, individual parents represented fewer than 3%.
The subjects targeted in many of these challenges follow identifiable patterns. PEN America states that books addressing race, racism, LGBTQ+ topics, sexuality, and sexual violence are frequently challenged. Works featuring people of color are also often included in these records. Many of these books had been selected by educators and librarians for school collections before facing challenges. Today, legislative initiatives, public hearings, and organized campaigns significantly influence which titles students are allowed to access.
Free speech advocates sound alarm over increasing book restrictions
Since the expansion of national tracking efforts, the scope of book bans in the U.S. has grown markedly. PEN America has documented over 34,000 school book bans since 2021. Meanwhile, the American Library Association reported that 4,235 unique titles were challenged during 2025. It also recorded 5,668 books banned from libraries and another 920 subject to access limitations. Although their methodologies differ, both organizations highlight widespread pressure on books and educational materials nationwide.
The inclusion of Atwood and North in the latest figures adds an international aspect to the statistics, but the core controversy continues to revolve around U.S. education policies. Laws supported by Republicans and advocacy groups on the conservative side now shape many decisions regarding school library collections. Free speech organizations warn that these broad removals hinder students’ access to literature on identity, race, sexuality, and other sensitive issues. Proponents of stricter controls argue that schools need to vet materials for age appropriateness. The current totals demonstrate that the ongoing conflict affects thousands of titles in U.S. public schools.