UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – During the 2025-26 school year, PEN America documented 11,982 book bans, marking the highest annual total since tracking began in 2021. These bans impacted Canadian authors Margaret Atwood and Ryan North, among others. The organization identified 7,370 distinct titles across 114 school districts affected by censorship. Over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators saw their works restricted, illustrating the expanding scope of book removal efforts in schools.
The book most frequently censored remains Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. For the first time, North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure appeared on the banned list. Titles aimed at young adults constituted more than half of the censored works, with fiction making up over 80% of the total bans. An additional 4,500 titles were added to the index for the first time, broadening the spectrum of literature inaccessible to students.
The majority of bans were concentrated in Texas and Florida, both led by Republican officials. Texas recorded over 8,100 bans, while Florida had more than 3,200. PEN America linked 72% of the bans in these districts directly to state legislation. Texas Senate Bill 13, enacted for the 2025-26 academic year, increased parental oversight of school library collections and mandated statewide standards to limit materials deemed harmful, indecent, profane, or age-inappropriate. Supporters describe these policies as parental-control and child-protection measures.
Conservative political influence drives the censorship movement
Data indicates that the push for bans is strongly associated with conservative political groups rather than isolated parental objections. Organizations like Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have actively promoted removal efforts. Earlier research by PEN America characterized these groups as adhering to staunchly conservative values. The American Library Association reported that 92% of 2025 book challenges originated from pressure groups, government officials, and decision-makers, with fewer than 3% coming directly from individual parents.
This disparity has fueled criticism that right-wing campaigns are increasingly restricting what students can access in public schools. PEN America emphasizes that bans disproportionately target books related to race, racism, LGBTQ+ topics, people of color, sexuality, and sexual violence. Many of these books had been carefully selected by educators and librarians before facing challenges. The organization also highlighted the use of legislation, official hearings, and removal demands as tools for political influence, transforming ideological conflicts over individual titles into broad restrictions affecting entire school systems.
Unprecedented book bans raise concerns about free expression
The scope of censorship now extends well beyond isolated local disputes to a national level. Since 2021, PEN America has recorded more than 34,000 school book bans. The American Library Association separately identified 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025, with 5,668 books banned from libraries and 920 facing access restrictions. Despite differing methodologies, both organizations confirm that censorship is at its highest levels in history. Their reports reveal organized efforts and government actions playing a significant role in many removals.
While Atwood and North highlight the Canadian aspect of recent figures, the core issue remains rooted in U.S. education politics. Laws supported by Republicans and conservative advocacy networks have taken over decisions traditionally handled by local educators and librarians. Free-speech advocates argue that these restrictions limit access to literature, especially works addressing identity, race, and sexuality. Supporters contend that materials must be age-appropriate for school settings. The record-breaking totals demonstrate that these political battles now dictate access to thousands of books across American public schools.