Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
US schools recorded a record 11,982 book bans during the 2025-26 academic year, the highest number documented in a single year, according to a new report by PEN America. The bans affected 7,370 unique titles and more than 4,000 authors, illustrators and translators.
The report, titled Banned in the USA, was released during Banned Books Week, an annual observance that highlights concerns over censorship and access to books. The latest figures bring the total number of book bans recorded by PEN America since 2021 to nearly 34,000.
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TEXAS SEES SHARP RISE IN BOOK BANS
Texas emerged as the state with the highest number of book removals during the latest academic year, recording more than 8,100 bans. The state had not previously occupied the top position, with Florida holding that distinction for three consecutive years.
The increase in Texas has been associated with the state’s Senate Bill 13 (SB13), which establishes restrictions on certain categories of books available in public schools.
Florida also continued to record a substantial number of removals. Both states have adopted legislation governing which books can be kept in school libraries, while conservative groups and political activists have campaigned for the removal of titles they consider inappropriate for students.
The scale of the issue has also widened geographically. A record 114 school districts across the US reported book bans during the 2025-26 school year.
AI TOOLS ENTER THE BOOK-BAN DEBATE
The increasing use of artificial intelligence by school administrators is another development highlighted in the report.
AI-based screening systems can analyse large collections of books and identify content based on specific words, themes or categories. This allows administrators to review numerous titles more rapidly than traditional manual screening.
PEN America suggests that the availability of such tools, alongside new state-level restrictions, may have contributed to the sharp increase in the number of books being flagged and subsequently removed.
STEPHEN KING BOOKS REMAIN A MAJOR TARGET
For the second year running, Stephen King was identified as the author whose works were banned most frequently. His books were involved in 312 removal instances during the year.
Among the most frequently banned individual books was Sold, a young adult novel centred on a young girl from Nepal who is sold into sexual servitude. Other titles that appeared repeatedly among challenged books included Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Speak and Crank.
Speak tells the story of a teenager who becomes withdrawn and stops speaking after being raped, while Crank explores the impact of drug addiction.
JANE EYRE AMONG THOUSANDS OF NEWLY BANNED BOOKS
The latest wave of restrictions has also affected books that have long been considered literary classics.
PEN America found that more than 4,500 titles were banned for the first time during the 2025-26 school year. The newly targeted books included Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, a major 19th-century work of English literature.
The list also extended to contemporary and popular entertainment, including the manga series Tokyo Ghoul. The findings indicate that book bans are not restricted to titles assigned as part of school coursework. Books that students independently choose to read are also being targeted.
YOUNG ADULT FICTION AND MANGA FACE RESTRICTIONS
Young adult literature was particularly affected by the latest restrictions. More than 90 per cent of banned young adult titles were fiction, according to the report.
Popular manga titles were also among those removed or challenged, highlighting how the debate has expanded beyond conventional school reading lists.
The wide range of titles involved, from classic literature to contemporary young adult fiction and manga, reflects the increasingly broad nature of challenges taking place in US school districts.
RACE, SEXUALITY AND GENDER AMONG KEY REASONS
The issues cited by schools, parents and campaigners when challenging books have remained relatively consistent. Themes involving race and racism, sexuality, sexual content and gender identity continue to account for a significant share of challenges.
Critics of book bans argue that removing books on these grounds can prevent students from encountering experiences and perspectives different from their own. Supporters of restrictions, meanwhile, have argued that schools should have greater control over materials made available to children.
PEN AMERICA WARNS OF RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS TO IDEAS
PEN America has raised concerns over the rise in school book bans, arguing that libraries are essential for giving students access to diverse viewpoints, cultures and experiences.
With removals increasing and states introducing new rules for school libraries, debates over censorship, parental rights and student access are likely to continue.
The record 11,982 bans in 2025-26 highlight the widening debate over who decides what students can read, from Jane Eyre and Stephen King’s novels to young adult fiction and manga.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
