UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – During the 2025-26 academic year, American public schools implemented a total of 11,982 book bans, as reported by PEN America. This marks the highest annual figure since the organization started monitoring restrictions in 2021. The bans involved 7,370 distinct titles spread across 114 school districts. Over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators appeared in the records, including Canadian writers Margaret Atwood and Ryan North, who were among those impacted by the growing wave of removals.
Among the titles targeted in school censorship controversies was Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Additionally, North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure was listed in PEN America’s index for the first time. Books aimed at young adults made up over half of the banned titles, with fiction accounting for more than 80%. The index also revealed that more than 4,500 titles appeared for the first time, demonstrating the widespread reach of the restrictions.
Texas and Florida led the national totals, with Texas accounting for over 8,100 bans and Florida reporting more than 3,200. According to PEN America, legislation enacted in these states influenced bans in 72% of the districts tracked. During the 2025-26 school year, Texas Senate Bill 13 increased parental control over school library content and established statewide guidelines for materials deemed harmful, indecent, profane, or inappropriate for minors.
Conservative groups intensify efforts to influence school content
Organizations advocating conservative viewpoints have taken on leading roles in many book removal campaigns. Groups such as Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have backed efforts to remove books across multiple states. PEN America has linked these organizations to organized conservative activism targeting education. Data from 2025 shows that pressure groups, government officials, and institutional decision-makers accounted for 92% of reported book challenges, while individual parents represented fewer than 3%, challenging the narrative that the surge in challenges is mainly driven by isolated family complaints.
A clear pattern emerges in the types of books being challenged. PEN America states that restrictions frequently target books related to race, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, sexuality, and sexual violence. Works featuring people of color also appear prominently in the tracking data. Many of these titles had already been selected by educators and librarians for school collections; however, the influence of conservative campaigns, new laws, and public challenges now plays a significant role in determining which books students can access.
Restrictions on books raise ongoing free-expression concerns
The scope of these restrictions has expanded well beyond isolated local conflicts. Since 2021, PEN America has documented over 34,000 school book bans. Meanwhile, the American Library Association reported that in 2025 alone, 4,235 unique titles faced challenges, with 5,668 books banned from libraries and an additional 920 subject to limited access. Despite differing methodologies, both organizations highlight a persistent nationwide pressure on the availability of books and educational materials.
The inclusion of Atwood and North adds a Canadian element to a debate largely fueled by U.S. state-level politics. Laws supported by Republicans and conservative advocacy networks have heavily influenced decisions about school library collections. Free-expression advocates argue that widespread removals limit access to books dealing with race, identity, sexuality, and other sensitive subjects. Supporters of stricter controls contend that schools must evaluate materials for age appropriateness. The latest figures reveal that politically motivated book restrictions now impact thousands of titles across American public schools.