UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – In the United States, during the 2025-26 school year, school districts removed nearly 12,000 books, setting a new annual record for censorship. PEN America documented a total of 11,982 bans, marking the highest yearly figure since their tracking began in 2021. The organization identified 7,370 distinct titles across 114 districts affected. Over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators experienced restrictions, illustrating the expanding scope of school censorship efforts.
Among the most frequently challenged titles was Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, which remained a common target in the latest data. Ryan North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure was listed for the first time. More than half of the banned books were young-adult titles, with fiction making up over 80% of the total bans. Additionally, over 4,500 titles appeared on the index for the first time, broadening the diversity of literature removed from students’ access.
The majority of these bans were concentrated in Republican-led states, with Texas and Florida accounting for most removals. Texas reported more than 8,100 bans, while Florida saw over 3,200. PEN America linked 72% of the bans in tracked districts to state legislation. For example, Texas Senate Bill 13, which took effect for the 2025-26 school year, increased parental oversight of school library collections and mandated statewide standards to restrict materials deemed harmful, indecent, profane, or age-inappropriate. Supporters frame these measures as efforts to enhance parental control and child protection.
Conservative political influence drives censorship efforts
Data indicates that the censorship campaign is strongly linked to conservative political groups rather than isolated parental complaints. Organizations like Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have actively promoted book removals. Earlier research by PEN America described these entities as advocating for staunchly conservative values. The American Library Association reported that 92% of book challenges in 2025 originated from pressure groups, government officials, and decision-makers, with fewer than 3% coming directly from individual parents.
This imbalance has fueled criticism that right-wing efforts are restricting the literary choices available to students in public schools. PEN America highlights that bans tend to target books related to race, racism, LGBTQ+ topics, people of color, sexuality, and sexual violence. Many of these works were selected for school collections by educators and librarians prior to facing challenges. The organization also documented political pressure through legislation, official hearings, and removal demands, which can turn ideological disputes over individual books into broad restrictions affecting entire school systems.
Rising book bans raise concerns over free expression
The nationwide scope of censorship extends well beyond isolated local disputes. Since 2021, PEN America has recorded over 34,000 school book bans. The American Library Association separately identified 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025, along with 5,668 books banned from libraries and 920 restricted from access. Though they employ different methodologies, both groups report record-high levels of censorship. Their findings reveal organized efforts and government involvement playing a significant role in many of these removals.
The latest figures involving Atwood and North introduce a Canadian element, yet the core conflict remains rooted in U.S. educational politics. Conservative-backed legislation and advocacy networks have shifted decision-making power from local educators and librarians to state and national entities. Free-expression advocates warn that these restrictions limit access to literature addressing identity, race, and sexuality. Proponents argue that schools should vet materials for age appropriateness. The accumulated totals highlight how these political struggles now influence access to thousands of books within U.S. public schools.