12,000 books gone: The quiet erasure happening in America’s classrooms

Even in the democratic and civilized world we live in today, the freedom to read and the freedom to express ideas are continually under attack, namely through book bans. Since 2021, the U.S. has seen a concerning rise in book bans that has risen overall, with a dip in 2024-25. According to PEN America, 2025-2026 has been the worst year for book bans in the past five years. Nearly 12,000 books were banned in public schools across the country during the 2025-2026 school year, consisting of 7,370 unique titles.

Most book bans in the 2025-2026 school year happened in Texas and Florida; these two states account for the majority of bans nationwide. Texas is the worst state for banning books, with an appalling 8,193 banned this year.

This is bad news for young book lovers everywhere, and it also reflects a culture that is growing increasingly hostile toward books and literature. Anti-intellectualism and political agendas drive book bans both today and in the past. Many banned titles feature stories centered on people of color, LGBTQ+ people, women, victims of traumatic events, social issues, global issues and humanitarian crises. Silencing the voices of marginalized people is a clear trend within the realm of book bans. The most frequently banned and challenged books in the nation have created so much controversy that they’ve occasionally made headlines. A few of the PEN referenced most banned books in 2025 were:

• Sold (Patricia McCormick) American Library Association’s Most Challenged
• The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood) PEN Most Banned
• Genderqueer (Maia Kobabe) American Library Associationn’s Most Challenged
• Last Night at the Telegraph Club (Malinda Lo) American Library Association’s Most Challenged
• Looking for Alaska (John Green) – American Library Association’s Most Challenged

According to PEN America’s most recent report on banned books, the data confirms that “efforts to purge stories and books from schools have overwhelmingly targeted books about race and racism, LGBTQ+ people or characters, people or characters of color, and sex.” In this report, 44% of books banned featured characters of color, 39% featured LGBTQ+ characters, and 10% featured neurodivergent and/or disabled people. More than half of banned titles were young adult, limiting opportunities for kids and teens to find books that reflect their experiences. These bans are targeted towards young people, who need stories that reflect their diverse, messy experiences. These targeted book bans send a dangerous message to kids and teens, especially those from marginalized backgrounds: that their identities and experiences are shameful and shouldn’t be represented or discussed, even if they play a large role in the way they move through the world.

Reading is one of the many ways that people, especially kids and teens, make sense of the world. Reading allows for understanding and reflection. It forces you to slow down and truly understand what you’re reading. It develops empathy and understanding of others’ experiences. Banning books will only leave young people sheltered and ignorant of the world around them, and they will never know the wonder of discovering new stories. In a world where literacy has declined and continues to decline, these book bans are deeply concerning. Kids and teens are being denied access to books at an alarming rate, meaning that they will have fewer opportunities to develop a love of reading. Reading for fun might not appear to be the most important thing in a kid’s life, but reading for fun is what solidifies a child’s attitude toward literacy and learning for the rest of their lives.

A lot of the motivation and controversy surrounding book bans is a fear of differing viewpoints, usually between parents and the educational material that is being taught in schools. Parents should be involved in decisions about which books are available in schools, and there are ways to gauge whether certain books are appropriate without outright banning them. Instead of being a method of protecting kids, book banning is yet another way to limit free speech and a way for discriminatory behavior towards women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ people to flourish. Ironically named advocacy groups that push for book bans, like Moms for Liberty, have been pushing for these bans in states like Florida, attempting (often successfully) to erase the stories of marginalized people in public school libraries.

In California the law targets removals based on inclusive or diverse content, and it lets parents and others file complaints with the state superintendent. It is not a general ban on removing books. However, the rise of book bans across the rest of America is a concerning trend.

PCC Trustee Candidate Geoffrey Baum, who has a background in journalism, expressed concerns about attacks on freedom in education.

“The First Amendment is a pretty sacred thing. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of expression is foundational.” He emphasizes the importance of the freedom to speak one’s mind.

“There should be an ability to express your views, even if others don’t agree with them; you still have a right to express them.”

This situation might seem hopeless and incurable, but you can take individual actions to advocate for the freedom to read, beyond contacting elected officials directly. When you’re at the library or the bookstore, take it upon yourself to check out or buy a banned book. Supporting banned books helps keep these stories alive, especially those of people from marginalized backgrounds. Join advocacy groups like PEN America to challenge book bans and fight against censorship. Educate others about the dangers of censorship. The smallest acts, when added up, can make a huge difference in preserving the right to read for generations to come.