US Schools Record Nearly 12,000 Book Bans; Jane Eyre, Stephen King Works Among Titles Removed
US public schools recorded 11,982 book bans during the 2025–26 academic year, the highest number reported by PEN America since it began tracking school book removals.
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Public schools in the United States recorded 11,982 book bans during the 2025–26 academic year, according to a new report by PEN America. The bans affected 7,370 unique titles and the works of more than 4,000 authors, illustrators and translators.
The report, titled “Banned in the USA,” was released during Banned Books Week. PEN America has recorded nearly 34,000 instances of book bans since it began tracking them in 2021.
Texas Records Highest Number Of US School Book Bans
Texas recorded more than 8,100 book bans during the 2025–26 school year, the highest among US states. Florida, which had recorded the highest number of bans for the previous three years, also remained among the states with the largest number of removals.
PEN America linked the sharp increase in Texas to Senate Bill 13 (SB13), a state law that places restrictions on certain categories of books available in public schools.
A record 114 school districts were found to have banned books during the academic year.
Jane Eyre, The Handmaid’s Tale Among Banned Books
More than 4,500 titles appeared in the list for the first time. These included Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel Jane Eyre and the manga series Tokyo Ghoul.
Other frequently targeted books included Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak and Ellen Hopkins’ Crank.
Stephen King was the most banned author for the second consecutive year, with his works removed 312 times. Patricia McCormick’s Sold was the most frequently banned individual title, with 25 removals.
Why Are Books Being Banned In US Schools?
According to the report, books involving race and racism, sexuality and gender identity continued to be among the common subjects associated with challenges and removals. Young adult books made up more than half of the banned titles, while more than 90 per cent of banned young adult titles were fiction.
PEN America also reported that artificial intelligence tools are increasingly being used by school districts to identify books for possible removal.
What Does ‘Book Ban’ Mean?
A book ban in PEN America’s report refers to a case where a book is removed or restricted from students’ access in a public school. Its methodology includes temporary removals, unlike the American Library Association, which counts permanent removals.
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Anjali is an education journalist with over a year of experience in digital and business journalism. She has previously worked with BW Businessworld and ANI, where she gained experience in news writing, editing, research, and fact-checking. At Jagran Josh, she writes education news and covers competitive exams and current affairs, with a keen interest in delivering accurate, informative, and reader-focused content. She holds a BA from Miranda House, University of Delhi, and a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). Anjali enjoys reading and exploring new ideas and perspectives through books.
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