UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – According to PEN America, U.S. public schools imposed 11,982 book bans during the 2025-26 academic year, marking a new peak since the group began monitoring restrictions in 2021. These bans involved 7,370 distinct titles across 114 school districts, with over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators included in the data. Notably, Canadian writers Margaret Atwood and Ryan North are among those impacted by the increasing wave of removals.
Among the titles affected was Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, which remains involved in ongoing censorship debates, while North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure was included in PEN America’s list for the first time. Over half of the banned books are young-adult titles, with fiction making up more than 80% of the total bans. The index revealed that more than 4,500 titles appeared for the first time, illustrating the widespread reach of these restrictions.
Texas and Florida lead the national totals, with Texas contributing over 8,100 bans and Florida more than 3,200. PEN America reports that legislation in these states influenced bans in 72% of the districts tracked. During the 2025-26 school year, Texas Senate Bill 13 expanded parental control over school library content and established statewide regulations for materials deemed harmful, indecent, profane, or unsuitable for minors.
Conservative Movements Intensify Efforts Against School Libraries
Organizations such as Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have become prominent players supporting removal campaigns in multiple states. PEN America has connected these groups to organized conservative activism targeting education. Data from 2025 shows that pressure groups, government officials, and institutional decision-makers were responsible for 92% of reported book challenges, whereas individual parents accounted for less than 3%, challenging claims that the surge is primarily due to isolated family complaints.
The pattern of challenged books often centers around themes of race, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, sexuality, and sexual violence. Many of these titles feature people of color, and educators and librarians had already curated these books for school collections. Now, conservative political campaigns, state laws, and public challenges are exerting greater influence over which books are accessible to students.
Restrictions Heighten Concerns About Free Expression
The scope of restrictions extends well beyond isolated local disputes. PEN America has documented over 34,000 school book bans since 2021, while the American Library Association recorded 4,235 unique titles challenged during 2025, along with 5,668 books banned from libraries and an additional 920 facing access limitations. Although the methods differ, both organizations highlight ongoing nationwide pressure on access to books and educational resources.
The involvement of Atwood and North introduces a Canadian element into a conflict primarily driven by U.S. state politics. Laws backed by Republicans and conservative advocacy groups have significantly influenced decisions concerning school library collections. Many organizations dedicated to free expression argue that these widespread removals limit access to books addressing race, identity, sexuality, and other sensitive topics. Proponents of stricter controls contend that schools should vet materials for age appropriateness. The latest figures reveal that politically motivated book restrictions now impact thousands of titles across American public schools.