Books behind a chain and lock.

Book Ban: 10 States Censoring the Greatest Number of Books in Schools

The growing trend of banning books in schools across the United States is prompting important questions, making us reflect on the balance between safeguarding students and preserving intellectual freedom.

According to Pen America, ten states are at the forefront of the debate, banning significantly more book titles than the rest.  

Methodology 

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Data collected by Pen America reveals book bans initiated between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, at the school district level. The information snapshot provides key insights into where and why districts are choosing to ban books but does not present a comprehensive list. Pen America’s experts believe school districts have quietly banned more books than the data accounts for. 

1: Florida

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Schools have banned 1,406 books in the Sunshine State, more than double that of any other state. Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed the Curriculum Transparency Act, which requires school districts to digitally chronicle all books available to students. Parent groups have used the lists to promote bans on a number of books, including titles like Flower for Algernon and My Sister’s Keeper.   

2: Texas

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Seven school districts in Texas initiated bans on 625 different books. Texas recently enacted a book rating law requiring booksellers to rate public library books for depictions and references to sex. Books must have a rating for schools to acquire them, and books rated “sexually explicit” are not allowed on school shelves. 

3: Missouri

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Over three hundred books are banned from certain districts in Missouri. The Show-Me State recently passed a law that bans visual depictions of sexually explicit material in school books. Some of the books removed from St. Louis area shelves include works by William Shakespeare and Mark Twain. 

4: Utah

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Utah school districts have banned 281 books from school shelves. A 2022 law in the Beehive State bans any title containing “indecent content.” The vague wording of the law has led to the removal of several esteemed works, including Nobel Prize Winner Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye.  

5: Pennsylvania

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One hundred and eighty-six books are gone from Pennsylvania school library shelves. However, the Keystone State is seeing pushback on the bans. State Senator Amanda Cappelletti recently introduced a bill to stop book bans in the state. 

6: South Carolina

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South Carolina school districts have banned 127 books. The divide over banning books in the Palmetto State led the South Carolina Department of Education to request an end to its partnership with the South Carolina Association of Librarians who noted concern about the bans.  

7: Virginia

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Seventy-five books disappeared from school library shelves after districts chose to ban them. Recently implemented Virginia law requires parent notification of any sexually explicit content involved in learning materials. Lawmakers say they never intended for the legislation to become a pretext for book bans. 

8: North Carolina

Blue Ridge Mountains.
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North Carolina banned 58 books during the last school year. Recently passed State Senate Bill 49, known as “The Parent’s Bill of Rights,” gives parents the ability to review and challenge learning materials, including books.  

9: Wisconsin

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Books by authors Margaret Atwood and Kurt Vonnegut made the list of school book bans in Wisconsin. Select districts in the Badger State nixed 43 titles, most of which were written for high school audiences. 

10: Michigan

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Thirty-nine titles made the banned book list in Michigan school districts last year. Librarians across the state recently launched a “Right to Read” campaign to help combat the bannings. 

Topics Schools Are Banning Most

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Most of the books to make banned lists include themes or instances of violence, sexual abuse, racism, or LGBTQ characters. Transgender characters are in 8% of all banned titles, and 19% of the banned books include an instance of sexual assault. 

Outspoken Minority 

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Many of the parent challenges that lead to book bans stem from a small number of outspoken individuals. A Washington Post analysis cited by Pen America noted that 66% of the 1,000 challenges examined came from only 11 parents. Often, these individuals are connected to larger national advocacy groups. 

Supercharged By State Law

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Several book bans are directly related to recently passed state laws. Some of these laws directly prohibit certain content, while others create rules about cataloging titles or informing parents. 

Vague Legislation 

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Many of the laws have vague wording, which seems to give decision-makers an incentive to lean towards censorship. Some of the laws threaten to punish school administrators or teachers who violate the legislation. 

On the Other Hand

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Parent advocacy groups say many of the banned books include explicit content that they don’t want to be taught in schools. They note that these books are still available in local public libraries and through booksellers, meaning students can access them off campus. 

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