UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – According to PEN America, U.S. public schools implemented 11,982 book bans during the 2025-26 academic year, marking the highest annual total since the organization started tracking school restrictions in 2021. These bans impacted 7,370 distinct titles across 114 school districts. The data included over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators. Among those whose books faced restrictions were Canadian writers Margaret Atwood and Ryan North.
The novel The Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood continued to be affected by school book bans, while North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure was newly added to PEN America’s index. During the year, more than half of the restricted titles were young-adult books, with fiction making up over 80% of all bans recorded. The index also saw over 4,500 titles added for the first time, expanding the scope of books involved in disputes over school collections.
The majority of bans originated from Texas and Florida, with Texas accounting for over 8,100 cases and Florida for more than 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 materials, and the law also set statewide guidelines regarding content considered harmful, indecent, profane, or inappropriate for minors.
Conservative Activists Drive Book Censorship Efforts
Organizations aligned with conservative agendas have actively contributed to campaigns aimed at removing books from public schools. Groups such as Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have supported challenges targeting school materials. PEN America previously described these organizations as part of a broader conservative movement focused on education and parental influence. National library data for 2025 revealed that 92% of reported book challenges originated from pressure groups, government officials, and institutional decision-makers, while individual parents contributed less than 3%.
The types of books often targeted follow identifiable patterns. PEN America reports that restrictions most frequently involve titles about race, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, sexuality, and sexual violence. Books featuring people of color are also frequently included in these challenges. Many of these books had been selected by educators and librarians for school collections before facing opposition. Today, legislative measures, public hearings, and organized campaigns increasingly influence which titles are accessible to students.
Freedom Advocates Sound Alarm Over Escalating Book Restrictions
The extent of book bans in the U.S. has risen sharply since the expansion of nationwide tracking. PEN America reports more than 34,000 school book bans since 2021. Meanwhile, the American Library Association recorded 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025 alone, along with 5,668 books barred from libraries and an additional 920 subject to access restrictions. Although their methodologies differ, both organizations highlight widespread pressure on educational materials and literature across the country.
The inclusion of Atwood and North in these figures provides an international dimension, yet the core controversy remains centered on U.S. education policy. Many decisions regarding school library collections are now influenced by laws backed by Republicans and by conservative advocacy groups. Free-expression advocates warn that sweeping removals limit students’ access to literature related to identity, race, sexuality, and other sensitive topics. Conversely, supporters of stricter content controls argue that materials should be screened for age appropriateness. The latest data demonstrate that the dispute now involves thousands of titles within American public schools.