U.S. public schools saw nearly 12,000 book bans in 2025-2026, a single-year record

PEN America counted almost 12,000 book-ban instances in U.S. public schools in 2025-2026, the highest single-year total since 2021. The tally brings the cumulative count to 34,000, covering more than 7,000 titles across 114 districts. PEN America attributes much of the rise to new state censorship laws. Enforcement guidance will determine how far removals go.