UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – According to PEN America, nearly 12,000 books were banned in U.S. public schools during the 2025-26 academic year. The total number of cases hit 11,982 across 114 school districts, involving 7,370 distinct titles. Over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators faced restrictions on their work. Notably, Canadian writers Margaret Atwood and Ryan North were among those impacted. These figures represent the highest annual total recorded since PEN America began monitoring school book bans in 2021.
Among the titles removed from school access, Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale reappeared. North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure was included in the index for the first time. Titles aimed at young adults accounted for over half of all banned books. Fiction made up more than 80% of the recorded bans. The index also saw more than 4,500 titles listed for the first time, broadening the scope of literature affected by school censorship disputes.
The majority of bans originated in Texas and Florida, with Texas reporting over 8,100 cases and Florida more than 3,200. PEN America stated that 72% of the districts tracked experienced bans influenced by state legislation. During the 2025-26 school year, Texas Senate Bill 13 increased parental oversight of school library collections. The law also introduced statewide regulations concerning materials deemed harmful, indecent, profane, or inappropriate for minors.
Conservative groups are central to many of the challenges
Organized conservative organizations have significantly contributed to campaigns targeting books in public educational settings. Groups such as Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have actively supported efforts to challenge and remove books. PEN America identified these organizations as engaging in conservative political activism. Separate national library data indicated that 92% of the 2025 book challenges originated from pressure groups, public officials, and institutional decision-makers. Individual parents accounted for less than 3% of the reported challenges.
These statistics have intensified debates over the influence of political campaigns on access to school literature. PEN America highlights that many restrictions target books related to race, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, sexuality, and sexual violence. The organization’s records also frequently include books about people of color. Many titles subjected to challenges had already been chosen by educators and librarians for school collections. Increasingly, laws, public hearings, and organized efforts are shaping which books remain accessible to students.
Growing concerns over free expression amid record book bans
The scope of restrictions now extends well beyond isolated school disputes. PEN America has documented over 34,000 school book bans since 2021. The American Library Association separately reported 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025. It also recorded 5,668 books banned from libraries and an additional 920 with restricted access. Although their tracking methods differ, both organizations reveal an unprecedented level of pressure on educational materials and literature access.
The involvement of Atwood and North introduces a Canadian element into a conflict primarily focused on U.S. education policies. Laws supported by Republicans and conservative advocacy groups have become key influences in decisions about school library collections. Advocates for free expression argue that the widespread removal of books diminishes access to literature addressing race, identity, sexuality, and other sensitive topics. Supporters of restrictions maintain that schools must keep inappropriate content away from minors. The latest data demonstrates that the controversy now impacts thousands of books across the country.