Book bans in American schools are on the rise, sparking nationwide debate about censorship and education.
If you’re searching for the states banning the most books in schools, this updated list reveals where book removals are most widespread, and why.
From Florida to Michigan, recent legislation and parental pressure have led to hundreds of titles being pulled from school libraries.
Notable works by renowned authors like Toni Morrison, William Shakespeare, and Margaret Atwood are among the banned.
Understanding where and how these bans are happening offers insight into the growing clash between educational freedom and content regulation in U.S. public schools.
1: Florida
Florida leads the nation in book bans, with schools in the state removing 1,406 books, more than double any other state.
This significant number is partly attributed to the Curriculum Transparency Act, recently signed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
This act mandates that school districts digitally chronicle all books available to students. Parent groups have actively utilized these publicly accessible lists to advocate for and promote bans on numerous titles.
Notable examples of books removed from shelves in Florida include Flower for Algernon and My Sister’s Keeper.
The data collected by Pen America provides key insights into where and why districts are choosing to ban books in Florida.
2: Texas
In Texas, seven school districts have initiated bans on a total of 625 different books. The state recently enacted a specific book rating law that significantly impacts book availability in schools.
This law mandates that booksellers must rate public library books based on their depictions and references to sex.
For schools to acquire books, they must have an assigned rating. Crucially, books that are rated as “sexually explicit” are explicitly not allowed on school shelves, directly influencing the types of materials accessible to students in public schools.
3: Missouri
Missouri has seen over three hundred books banned from certain school districts. The state passed a law that specifically prohibits visual depictions of sexually explicit material in school books.
This legislation has led to the removal of a wide range of works from school shelves, particularly in the St. Louis area.
Among the titles removed were works by acclaimed authors such as William Shakespeare and Mark Twain, indicating that even historically significant literary pieces have been affected by the bans in the “Show-Me State”.
4: Utah
Utah school districts have banned 281 books from their shelves. A significant factor contributing to these bans is a 2022 law enacted in the “Beehive State”.
This law broadly prohibits any title containing “indecent content”. The vague wording of this particular law has had a considerable impact, leading to the removal of several esteemed works.
One notable example of a book removed due to this legislation is Nobel Prize Winner Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, demonstrating the broad reach of the ban.
5: Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, one hundred and eighty-six books have been removed from school library shelves. Despite these bans, the “Keystone State” is witnessing significant pushback against the book bans.
This resistance includes legislative efforts aimed at combating the trend. Specifically, State Senator Amanda Cappelletti has recently introduced a bill with the explicit purpose to stop book bans within the state.
This indicates a political and public effort to counter the removal of books from school libraries in Pennsylvania.
6: South Carolina
South Carolina school districts have banned 127 books. The issue of banning books has created a notable divide within the “Palmetto State”.
This division has been so significant that it led the South Carolina Department of Education to request an end to its partnership with the South Carolina Association of Librarians.
The librarians’ association had expressed concern about the bans, highlighting a clear disagreement between educational authorities and library professionals regarding the removal of books from school shelves.
7: Virginia
In Virginia, seventy-five books have been removed from school library shelves after districts decided to ban them.
A recently implemented law in the state requires parent notification of any sexually explicit content involved in learning materials.
However, lawmakers in Virginia have stated that they never intended for this legislation to become a pretext for book bans.
This suggests a disconnect between the lawmakers’ original intent for the legislation and how it has been applied by school districts, contributing to the removal of books.
8: North Carolina
During the last school year, North Carolina banned 58 books. A recently passed piece of legislation, State Senate Bill 49, plays a significant role in these bans.
This bill is commonly known as “The Parent’s Bill of Rights”. It grants parents substantial new abilities, including the power to review and challenge learning materials, which specifically encompasses books.
This law provides a formal mechanism for parents to initiate challenges against books in schools, directly impacting the availability of various titles.
9: Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, select districts have removed 43 titles from school shelves. Books by prominent authors such as Margaret Atwood and Kurt Vonnegut were included on the list of banned school books in the “Badger State”.
Furthermore, the majority of the titles that were “nixed” were written for high school audiences. This indicates a specific focus on materials intended for older students in the state’s book banning efforts.
10: Michigan
Michigan school districts saw thirty-nine titles make the banned book list last year. In response to these bannings, librarians across the state have taken action.
They recently launched a notable initiative called the “Right to Read” campaign. This campaign aims to help combat the bannings of books in schools.
The efforts by librarians demonstrate organized resistance against the trend of book removals in Michigan.
Alicia Richards