Nearly 1,500 Book Bans Implemented in First Half of School Year, PEN America Finds
thedailybeast.com/nearly-1500-book-bans-implemented-in-first-half-of-school-year-pen-america-finds
Key FactsBook bans are on the rise in American schools, particularly in Republican-led states.
Apr 22, 2023 · Reading time: ~30 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance
Summary created with AI assistance
- According to PEN America, book prohibitions in school libraries increased nearly 30% last semester, fueled by conservative legislation.
- Brian Covey stated that this was the case at his children's Duval County public school.
- "They even went through and took away books kids were currently reading," tweeted Covey.
- The book restriction campaign is also harming public libraries.
Story Details
| Last Updated | |
| Total Articles | 8 |
Main Topics
right to communicate one's opinions and ideas and right to speak
News on this topic
Book bans soar in U.S. schools, largely in Republican-led states: Book bans in school libraries, gassed up by legislation pushed by conservatives ...
latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-04-22/book-bans-soaring-schools-new-laws-republican-states
New Report Finds That Book Bans Have Reached Their Highest Levels Yet: According to PEN America, about 100 books were being banned per month in 2022.
time.com/6273086/book-bans-surge-pen-america-report/
About a third of book bans reported in fall 2022 were a result of new state laws, free speech group says
cnn.com/2023/04/20/us/book-ban-schools-pen-america-reaj/
More articles on this subject
Previous
Book Bans Rising Rapidly in the U.S., Free Speech Groups Find: A new report from PEN America, the free speech organization, details a new rise of censorship ...
nytimes.com/2023/04/20/books/book-bans-united-states-free-speech.html
GOP Push Leads to Nearly 1,500 School Book Bans in First Half of Academic Year: "The heavy-handed tactics of state legislators are mandating book bans ...
commondreams.org/news/gop-book-bans-schools
Next
Similar to This
Previous
What happens to books after libraries ban them?: Indiana Code does not specify what to do with books if they are removed, so it's murky what typically happens to ...
indystar.com/story/news/local/2025/10/10/what-happens-to-books-after-indiana-libraries-ban-them/86586133007/
The dumbing down of America, one banned book at a time: A majority of Americans are against book bans. That won't stop a well funded, fear-fueled movement
salon.com/2025/10/06/the-dumbing-down-of-america-one-banned-book-at-a-time/
McCarthyism 2.0: From Stephen King to Judy Blume, nobody’s safe from Trump’s book banners
independent.co.uk/news/world/books-banned-america-trump-censorship-b2838773.html
What are the top 10 most banned books in the US? See PEN America's list.: PEN America reports that nearly 4,000 unique book titles were challenged for banning in ...
courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2025/10/06/banned-books-week-top-10-banned-books-in-us-america-see-list-louisville-free-public-library/86545481007/
Report warns of 'disturbing' normalization of book bans in US schools: PEN America's report found 6,870 instances of book bans in 2024 and 2025.
abcnews.go.com/US/report-warns-disturbing-normalization-book-bans-us-schools/story
Book censorship in US schools has become 'rampant and common', free speech advocates warn
eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/10/02/pen-america-report-book-bans/86468824007/
Multi-level barrage of US book bans is ‘unprecedented’, says PEN America: Censorship at local to federal level recalls past authoritarian regimes ‘but this has ...
theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/07/book-bans-pen-america-censorship
34 Best Books By Black Women: The very best books by Black women to revamp your reading list, from Candice Brathwaite's book on manifesting to classics like Toni ...
glamourmagazine.co.uk/gallery/best-books-by-black-authors
It's Banned Books Week. How to get your hands on challenged books in Indiana: The annual event is meant to bring the book community together in support of ...
indystar.com/story/entertainment/2024/09/23/what-is-banned-books-week-top-10-banned-books-how-to-read-gender-queer-indiana-library/75308549007/
Report: Last year ended with a surge in book bans: According to PEN America, 4,349 books were banned from schools between July and December 2023 ...
npr.org/2024/04/16/1245037718/book-bans-2023-pen-america
Books most challenged in 2023 centered on LGBTQ themes, library organization says
usatoday.com/story/entertainment/books/2024/04/09/books-most-targeted-2023-lgbtq-themes/73257191007/
US prisons ban 'staggering' number of books: campaigners: A study by PEN America, a literacy and free expression advocacy group, found widely differing ...
newvision.co.ug/articledetails/NV_173562
Banned Books Week comes at tense time for nation’s libraries and schools: Banned Books Week, an annual event first established in 1982, has arrived amid a ...
thehill.com/homenews/education/4230614-banned-book-week-comes-at-tense-time-for-nations-libraries-and-schools/
Book bans continue to rise in US public schools, libraries: 'Attacks on our freedom'
usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/09/21/public-school-library-book-bans/70924262007/
School book bans show no signs of slowing, new PEN America report finds: The number of bans and restrictions in the U.S. rose 33% in the last school year ...
npr.org/2023/09/21/1200725104/book-bans-school-pen-america
Key FactsPEN America Report: Increase in School Book Bans
Sep 21, 2023 · Reading time: ~30 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: npr.org
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: npr.org
- A report by PEN America reveals a fourfold increase in the number of books permanently removed from US school libraries and classrooms - from 333 books last year to 1,263.
- Florida had the highest number of bans compared to other states.
- The organization considers any action that restricts access to a book as a ban, including books removed from classrooms or libraries, as well as books temporarily removed during challenges.
- According to recent NPR/Ipsos polling, 64% of Americans oppose book bans by school boards, and 69% oppose book bans by state lawmakers.
Book bans continue rising in the US with more targeting ‘sexual’ and ‘inappropriate’ content, free speech group says
cnn.com/2023/09/21/us/book-ban-increase-pen-america/
Book bans continue at record pace in 2023, American Library Association reports: The nationwide surge in book bannings continues. The American Library ...
apnews.com/article/books-bans-american-library-association-42b34a284a6363439de20bbb65bb43b4
Report: Texas school districts banned 625 books in 2022-23 school year: Texas school districts banned more books in classrooms and libraries than nearly every U ...
houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/texas-book-bans-18375584.php
Penguin Random House Sues Florida School District Over Book Bans: The district is accused of targeting library books that discuss racism and LGBT identity.
wsj.com/articles/penguin-random-house-sues-florida-school-district-over-book-bans-dd301e0f
Next