UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – According to PEN America, U.S. public schools implemented 11,982 book bans during the 2025-26 academic year. This figure represents the highest annual total since the organization began tracking school restrictions in 2021. The bans involved a total of 7,370 unique titles across 114 school districts. Over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators appeared in the data. Notable Canadian writers Margaret Atwood and Ryan North were among those whose books faced restrictions.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood remained among the titles affected by school book bans. North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure was added to PEN America’s index for the first time. During the year, more than half of the restricted titles were young-adult books. Fiction made up over 80% of the bans recorded. Additionally, over 4,500 titles appeared in the index for the first time, expanding the variety of books involved in disputes over school collections.
Texas and Florida accounted for the majority of the bans documented. Texas had more than 8,100 cases, while Florida had over 3,200. PEN America noted that legislation in these states influenced bans in 72% of the districts monitored. During the 2025-26 school year, Texas Senate Bill 13 increased parental oversight of school library content. The law also established statewide guidelines concerning materials deemed harmful, indecent, profane, or inappropriate for minors.
Conservative movements strongly influence efforts to challenge books
Organizations aligned with conservative ideals have played a prominent role in campaigns aimed at removing books from public schools. Groups such as Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have supported efforts to challenge school materials. PEN America previously described these groups as part of a broader conservative movement centered on education and parental control. National library data for 2025 showed that pressure groups, government officials, and institutional decision-makers accounted for 92% of reported book challenges. Individual parents represented fewer than 3% of the cases.
Many of the challenges target specific topics, often following identifiable patterns. PEN America states that books about race, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, sexuality, and sexual violence are frequently challenged. Titles featuring people of color also regularly appear in records. Many of these books had been selected by educators and librarians for school collections before facing opposition. Today, legislative actions, public hearings, and organized campaigns increasingly influence which titles are accessible to students.
Advocates for free speech express concern over escalating restrictions
Since national tracking expanded, the scale of book bans in the U.S. has surged dramatically. PEN America reports over 34,000 school book bans since 2021. The American Library Association recorded 4,235 unique titles challenged during 2025. It also documented 5,668 books being banned from libraries and another 920 subject to access restrictions. Despite differing methodologies, both organizations highlight the widespread pressure on books and educational resources nationwide.
The fact that Atwood and North are included in the latest data adds an international aspect, yet the core issue remains rooted in U.S. education policy. Many decisions about school library collections are now influenced by laws supported by Republicans and conservative advocacy groups. Free-speech organizations warn that extensive removals limit students’ access to literature on identity, race, sexuality, and other sensitive subjects. Supporters of tighter controls argue that schools must evaluate materials for age appropriateness. The recent totals demonstrate that this ongoing conflict now affects thousands of titles across U.S. public schools.