UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – According to PEN America, public schools across the U.S. implemented a total of 11,982 book bans during the 2025-26 academic year. This number marks a new peak since the organization began monitoring such restrictions in 2021. The bans involved 7,370 distinct titles spread over 114 school districts. Records also show the involvement of over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators. Notably, Canadian writers Margaret Atwood and Ryan North were among those impacted by the growing wave of removals.
The book The Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood continues to be a frequent target in school censorship debates. Meanwhile, North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure was added to PEN America’s index for the first time. More than half of the banned titles are young-adult books, with fiction accounting for over 80% of the total. The index also revealed that over 4,500 titles appeared for the first time, illustrating how widespread the restrictions have become.
States like Texas and Florida lead the national figures, with Texas alone responsible for more than 8,100 bans and Florida with over 3,200. PEN America reported that legislation in these states influenced bans in 72% of the districts examined. During the 2025-26 school year, Texas Senate Bill 13 enhanced parental authority over school library content and set statewide guidelines for materials deemed harmful, indecent, profane, or inappropriate for minors.
Conservative advocacy groups intensify pressure on educational institutions
Groups such as Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have taken a prominent role in numerous school book removal efforts across various states. PEN America has connected these organizations to organized conservative activism targeting education. Data from 2025 shows that 92% of reported book challenges originated from pressure groups, government officials, and institutional decision-makers, while individual parents were responsible for fewer than 3%, contradicting claims that the surge is mainly driven by isolated family complaints.
The pattern of challenged books often revolves around themes related to race, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, sexuality, and sexual violence. Works featuring people of color are frequently included in PEN America’s tracking. Many of these titles had already been chosen by educators and librarians for school collections, but now, conservative campaigns, state laws, and public protests exert increased influence over which books are available to students.
Growing book bans raise concerns over free speech
The scope of restrictions has expanded well beyond isolated local disputes. PEN America reports more than 34,000 school book bans since 2021, while the American Library Association documented 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025 alone. Additionally, the ALA noted 5,668 books banned from libraries and another 920 with limited access. Although their methodologies differ, both organizations highlight ongoing nationwide pressure to restrict access to books and educational resources.
The involvement of Atwood and North introduces a Canadian element into a conflict predominantly driven by U.S. state politics. Conservative-backed laws and advocacy networks have shaped many decisions regarding school library collections. Free-expression advocates warn that the broad removal of books diminishes access to works addressing race, identity, sexuality, and other sensitive topics. Supporters of stricter controls argue that schools need to evaluate materials for age appropriateness. The latest figures reveal that politically motivated book restrictions now impact thousands of titles in American public schools.