Nearly 12,000 books were removed from U.S. public schools during the 2025-26 school year, according to a new PEN America report, marking the highest number of recorded bans since the organization began tracking the issue in 2021. The free-speech organization found that public schools banned 11,982 books, including 7,370 unique titles. Among them are the classic novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë; Bonnie Garmus' bestseller Lessons in Chemistry; and the Japanese manga series Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida.
The report said Texas and Florida banned the most books; the former recorded more than 8,000 bans during the 2025-2026 school year, and the latter over 3,000. Supporters of book bans strongly reject the characterization that they are engaging in censorship. They argue that parents and local communities should have a greater say over what material should be made available to children in public schools.
Many have focused on books containing sexual content, graphic imagery, or mature themes. The supporters of book bans say that removing these types of titles from schools is a matter of age appropriateness rather than a restriction on speech. PEN America said Texas and Florida "have become blueprints for educational censorship." The organization said that special-interest groups, state laws, and politicians have pulled together to put pressure on school districts to restrict and remove access to books.
PEN America found that more than half of all banned books were young-adult titles, while over 80 percent were fiction. It also reported that 114 school districts imposed bans during the year, the highest number it has recorded. PEN America says that state legislation and pressure from advocacy groups and elected officials continue to be major drivers of removals.
The report says that, in 72 percent of the districts it tracked, book bans are linked to state laws or policies. The group says its five-year review of bans has consistently found that books featuring LGBTQ+ characters, people of color, discussions of race, and sexually themed content are disproportionately targeted. Another notable trend that was highlighted in the report is the targeting of manga and graphic novels.
PEN says critics often focus on isolated illustrations depicting sex, violence, or gender identity. The organization adds that images are sometimes taken out of context rather than as part of the broader story. Authors including Hajime Isayama (Attack on Titan), Atsushi Ohkubo (Fire Force and Soul Eater) and Rumiko Takahashi (InuYasha) were among the manga creators whose works are frequently removed.
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