US public schools restricted 11,982 books, PEN America reports

Public schools across the United States restricted 11,982 book bans during the school year, according to a report published by the organization PEN America. That figure marks nearly a fivefold increase from the 2,500 titles banned during the 2021–2022 academic year, when the group first began tracking nationwide censorship efforts. The index shows that fiction accounts for 87 percent of all targeted titles, with works addressing sexuality, ethnicity or gender making up the removals.

State Legislation Drives Book Bans in Texas and Florida

The surge in restricted titles concentrates heavily in states where lawmakers have enacted strict regulations governing classroom and library content. Texas led the nation with 8,100 censorship actions, followed by Florida with at least 3,000 removals.

In Texas, the implementation of Senate Bill 13 requires school boards to publicly vet library collections and allows parents to challenge materials deemed obscene or offensive. PEN America reported that 72 percent of all nationwide book bans trace directly back to state-level legislation or state-appointed review committees.

Artificial Intelligence Automates Censure Cycles

Schooldistricts increasingly rely on generative artificial intelligence chatbots to screen library inventories and evaluate titles, as reported. Software tools frequently recommend removing books simply because other districts have already banned them.

PEN America characterized this practice as a circular argument that creates a snowball effect of censorship. Chatbots flag titles based on external prohibitions rather than evaluating individual books on their content. Authors and publishers face automated lists that bypass traditional content reviews.

Stephen King and Graphic Novels Dominate Censored Lists

Stephen King faced the most censorship of any author, with his books subjected to 312 total bans. Among individual titles, Patricia McCormick’s Sold—a novel addressing the trafficking of a 13-year-old Nepalese girl—was restricted across 25 separate districts.

Other frequently targeted works include Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, John Green’s Looking for Alaska, and Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl, which faced challenges over passages discussing sexuality. Graphic novels and Japanese manga series also experienced widespread removal, with districts frequently pulling entire collections rather than isolated titles.

International Pressure Reaches Dutch Libraries

The tightening restrictions in the United States have drawn concern from European cultural institutions. Wilma van Wezenbeek, director of the KB National Library in the Netherlands, called the American situation alarming, as reported. Van Wezenbeek stated that open access to diverse perspectives forms a core pillar of democratic society.

Texas Leads Book Bans While Fiction Dominates Removals

Which state recorded the highest number of book bans during the school year?

Texas recorded the highest volume with 8,100 censorship actions, driven largely by state legislation such as Senate Bill 13.

What percentage of banned books belong to the fiction genre?

Fiction accounts for 87 percent of all restricted titles, with young adult literature and graphic novels experiencing the removals.

How do AI chatbots influence the book removal process?

Chatbots generate lists of objectionable content by checking which titles other school districts have already banned, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of censorship without evaluating individual book contents.