UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – According to PEN America, U.S. public schools implemented 11,982 book bans in the 2025-26 academic year, marking the highest annual total since the organization began tracking school restrictions in 2021. These bans impacted 7,370 distinct titles across 114 school districts. Over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators appeared in the data. Among those whose works faced restrictions were Canadian writers Margaret Atwood and Ryan North.
The well-known Margaret Atwood novel The Handmaid’s Tale remained among the titles affected by the bans. For the first time, North’s Ryan North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure appeared in PEN America’s index. During the year, more than half of the restricted titles were young-adult books. Fiction constituted over 80% of the reported bans. Additionally, over 4,500 titles entered the index for the first time, expanding the range of books involved in disputes over school collections.
The majority of bans were concentrated in Texas and Florida. Texas alone accounted for over 8,100 cases, while Florida recorded more than 3,200. PEN America highlighted that state legislation influenced bans in 72% of the districts monitored. During the 2025-26 academic year, Texas Senate Bill 13 increased parental oversight of school library materials and set statewide standards for content considered harmful, indecent, profane, or inappropriate for minors.
Conservative activism influences book removal efforts
Organizations with conservative ties have actively contributed to campaigns aimed at removing books from public school libraries. Groups like Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have backed efforts to challenge school materials. PEN America has previously described these organizations as part of a wider conservative movement that emphasizes education and parental control. National library data for 2025 revealed that pressure groups, government officials, and institutional decision-makers drove 92% of reported book challenges, with individual parents making up less than 3%.
Many of the subjects targeted in these challenges reveal clear patterns. PEN America notes that books focusing on race, racism, LGBTQ+ topics, sexuality, and sexual violence are frequently challenged. Works featuring people of color are also often included in the records. Teachers and librarians had previously selected many of these titles for school collections before facing organized challenges. Now, legislative actions, public hearings, and coordinated campaigns are increasingly influencing which books students can access.
Free speech advocates express concern over escalating restrictions
Since expanding its tracking efforts, PEN America has documented a sharp rise in school book bans across the U.S., with over 34,000 such restrictions since 2021. The American Library Association separately identified 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025, along with 5,668 books banned from libraries and another 920 subject to access limitations. Although their methods differ, both organizations confirm widespread pressure on books and educational materials nationwide.
The presence of Atwood and North in these figures adds an international aspect, yet the core controversy remains rooted in U.S. education policies. Laws supported by Republicans and conservative advocacy groups now significantly influence decisions about school library content. Free-expression advocates argue that these broad removals limit students’ access to literature on identity, race, sexuality, and other debated subjects. Supporters of stricter controls contend that schools must evaluate materials for age appropriateness. The latest figures indicate that this ongoing conflict affects thousands of titles across public schools in the United States.