Record High Book Bans in US Public Schools and Libraries Spark Censorship Concerns

In the past academic school year, book challenges in the United States reached an all-time high as public schools and libraries faced ongoing attempts to censor books, according to recent reports.

While book censorship is not a new issue, the country has witnessed a surge in book bans and attempted bans since 2021. Most of the targeted books were authored by or about individuals of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, or women, as indicated in reports from the American Library Association (ALA) and PEN America, a free speech advocacy group.

The reports from ALA and PEN America observed that these challenges occur amid a growing climate of censorship. Unlike previous book challenges, recent efforts have aimed to remove or restrict multiple titles rather than a single book. They noted that these challenges have spread through “coordinated campaigns by a vocal minority of groups” and, increasingly, due to pressure from state legislation, as outlined in the PEN America report.

In the last two years, incidents related to book bans have drawn national attention, sparking advocacy efforts by those who argue that book bans infringe upon students’ freedoms and constitutional rights. Educators and librarians have found themselves at the center of book censorship disputes, with some facing attacks or threats for publicly supporting access to these materials.

Kasey Meehan, PEN America’s Freedom to Read project director and lead author of the report, emphasized the importance of the freedom to read, stating that children benefit from encountering diverse stories as it helps build empathy and understanding in a diverse democracy.

According to the ALA, in the first eight months of 2023, there were nearly 700 attempts to censor library materials, challenging more than 1,900 individual titles, marking a 20% increase compared to the same period the previous year. While school libraries and classrooms have historically been the primary targets for book removals, the ALA reported that, in 2023, there was a nearly equal division between schools and libraries open to the general public. Public library materials accounted for 49% of documented incidents, up from 16% in 2022.

PEN America’s report revealed that book bans in public K-12 schools have continued to intensify in recent years. In the 2022-23 academic year, they recorded more than 3,000 instances of book bans in U.S. public school classrooms and libraries. Book challenges increased by 30% compared to the previous school year.

The majority of challenged books were authored by or about women, people of color, or LGBTQ+ individuals, and often contained material perceived as “sexual” or “age inappropriate.” Overall, more than 1,500 unique book titles were removed during the last school year, occurring in 153 districts across 33 states.

Florida led with over 1,400 recorded cases of book bans, followed by Texas with 625, Missouri with 333, Utah with 281, and Pennsylvania with 186.

Recent book challenge incidents have led to attacks against teachers and librarians. Many of these challenges have come from conservative organizations advocating for nationwide banning efforts and increased parental control over school materials.

These attacks have also affected the ALA, as some communities have withdrawn their membership in response to the association’s opposition to book bans.

Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, expressed concern over these challenges to the freedom to read, stating that allowing any individual or group to decide what books people can read or whether libraries exist places all rights and liberties in jeopardy.