Public schools across the United States removed nearly 12,000 books during the 2025-2026 academic year, according to a new report from PEN America. This marks the highest recorded number of book bans since the organization began tracking the data in 2021. The report, titled “Banned in the USA: A Spotlight on School Book Bans,” was released on October 5th during Banned Books Week.

The figure includes more than 7,300 unique titles, with over 4,500 added to the index for the first time—a record number of new entries in a single year. Among the newly banned works are classic and contemporary titles such as Charlotte Bronte’s "Jane Eyre," Bonnie Garmus’s "Lessons in Chemistry," and Ryan North’s "Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable Path Adventure."

Stephen King emerged as the most banned author, with 312 individual bans, followed by Ellen Hopkins, known for young adult novels dealing with violence and sexuality, who was banned 234 times. The report highlights that bans continue to disproportionately target books addressing themes of race, LGBTQ+ issues, and sexuality.

PEN America defines a “book ban” as any action that restricts or removes a book from student access due to challenges from parents, community members, administrative decisions, or actions prompted by lawmakers or government officials.

The majority of bans took place in Texas and Florida, which the report describes as “blueprints for educational censorship.” These states also have the most comprehensive records due to transparency efforts by local advocacy groups such as the Florida Freedom to Read Project and the Texas Freedom to Read Project. PEN America noted that the actual number of bans is likely higher, as many go unreported and lack transparency from school districts.

A Texas law enacted in 2025 prohibits school libraries from including books with “indecent” or “profane content” and expands parental control over students’ access to library materials. The law and similar regulations have made it challenging for school officials to determine which books comply, leading many districts to increasingly rely on artificial intelligence tools to screen their collections. PEN America’s Kasey Meehan described this reliance as “alarming,” cautioning that AI may misinterpret content and recommend removals simply because other districts have done so.

At the federal level, the issue has drawn contrasting responses. Shortly after President Donald Trump’s return to office in 2025, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights dismissed nearly a dozen complaints about book bans, characterizing the phenomenon as a “hoax.” The office stated that decisions regarding school library content should be governed by parental and community judgment rather than civil rights considerations.