UNITED STATES / RankWire.AI / – During the 2025-26 school year, U.S. efforts to restrict books in educational settings hit an all-time high, impacting works by Canadian authors such as Margaret Atwood and Ryan North. PEN America reported a total of 11,982 bans, marking the peak since their tracking began in 2021. The organization identified 7,370 distinct titles across 114 districts, with over 4,000 authors, illustrators, and translators affected, illustrating the expanding scope of school censorship.
Among the most frequently challenged titles was Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, which remained prominent on the index. North’s Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure appeared for the first time. Books aimed at young adults constituted more than half of the banned titles. Fiction accounted for over 80% of the recorded bans. Additionally, more than 4,500 titles made their debut in the index, broadening the range of literature inaccessible to students.
The majority of these bans were concentrated in Republican-led states such as Texas and Florida. Texas registered over 8,100 bans, while Florida reported more than 3,200. PEN America linked 72% of the bans in tracked districts to state legislation. For example, Texas Senate Bill 13, which took effect for the 2025-26 school year, increased parental oversight of school library collections and mandated statewide standards to restrict materials deemed harmful, indecent, profane, or age-inappropriate. Proponents describe these policies as efforts to enhance parental control and child protection.
Political conservatism influences censorship initiatives
The overall pattern reveals that the book-ban movement is closely linked to conservative political activism rather than isolated parental concerns. Organizations such as Moms for Liberty, Citizens Defending Freedom, and Parents’ Rights in Education have actively promoted removals. Earlier research by PEN America characterized these groups as advocating strongly conservative principles. The American Library Association found that 92% of book challenges in 2025 originated from pressure groups, government officials, and decision-makers, with less than 3% stemming from individual parents.
This disparity has intensified criticism that right-wing efforts are narrowing the available reading material in public schools. PEN America emphasizes that bans tend to target books about race, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, people of color, sexuality, and sexual violence. Many of these titles had been selected by educators and librarians for school collections before facing challenges. The organization also highlighted the influence of legislation, official hearings, and removal demands, which can transform ideological disputes over specific books into broader restrictions impacting entire school systems.
Surge in removals raises concerns over free expression
National efforts extend well beyond isolated local conflicts. Since 2021, PEN America has documented over 34,000 instances of book bans in schools. The American Library Association separately tracked 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025, along with 5,668 books banned from libraries and 920 facing access restrictions. Although their methods differ, both organizations confirm censorship at record levels. Their findings point to coordinated groups and government actions as key drivers behind many removals.
The presence of Atwood and North in these figures adds a Canadian dimension to the issue, yet the core dispute remains rooted in U.S. educational policy. Laws backed by Republicans and conservative advocacy networks have taken over decision-making traditionally handled by local educators and librarians. Free-speech advocates argue these restrictions limit access to literature, especially works addressing identity, race, and sexuality. Conversely, supporters insist that schools need to evaluate materials for age appropriateness. The overall totals reveal that these political conflicts now shape access to thousands of books in U.S. public schools.
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