UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – According to PEN America, nearly 12,000 books were banned across U.S. public schools during the 2025-26 academic year. The total of 11,982 incidents spanned 114 school districts and involved 7,370 distinct titles. Over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators faced restrictions on their work, including Canadian writers Margaret Atwood and Ryan North. These numbers represent the highest annual total since PEN America began tracking school book bans in 2021.
The book The Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood once again appeared among the titles removed from school access. The group’s index also saw the addition of North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure for the first time. Young-adult books constituted more than half of all banned titles. Fiction accounted for over 80% of the documented cases. In total, over 4,500 titles were listed for the first time, broadening the spectrum of literature caught up in school censorship conflicts.
Most of the bans were concentrated in Texas and Florida. Texas reported more than 8,100 cases, while Florida noted over 3,200. PEN America indicated that legislation in these states influenced bans in 72% of the districts it monitored. During the 2025-26 school year, Texas Senate Bill 13 increased parental oversight over school library collections and established statewide rules for materials deemed harmful, indecent, profane, or inappropriate for minors.
Conservative organizations are central to many challenges
Major conservative groups have been instrumental in campaigns against books in public schools. Organizations like Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have supported efforts to challenge and remove specific titles. PEN America has identified these groups as involved in conservative political activism. Additionally, national library data revealed that 92% of book challenges in 2025 originated from pressure groups, public officials, and institutional decision-makers. In contrast, 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 educational materials. PEN America reports that many restrictions target books addressing race, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, sexuality, and sexual violence. Titles involving people of color are frequently featured in the organization’s records. Many of these books had already been selected by educators and librarians for inclusion in school collections. Nonetheless, laws, public hearings, and organized challenges have increasingly dictated which books remain accessible to students.
Growing concerns over free expression amid record-setting bans
The scope of these restrictions now extends well beyond individual 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 during 2025, along with 5,668 books banned from libraries and an additional 920 facing restricted access. Although their tracking methods differ, both organizations highlight a striking increase in pressure on literary access and educational resources.
The involvement of Atwood and North adds a Canadian dimension to a conflict primarily centered on U.S. education policies. Laws backed by Republicans and conservative advocacy groups have become dominant forces in decisions regarding school library collections. Free-expression advocates argue that widespread removals limit access to literature related to race, identity, sexuality, and other contentious subjects. Supporters of bans maintain that schools must keep unsuitable content away from minors. The latest data indicates that this dispute now impacts thousands of books nationwide.