Record number of school book removals reported in new study

What happened

A report from PEN America indicates that nearly 12,000 books were banned in schools, totaling 11,982 removals in the reported period. This reflects an increase from 6,870 book removals in the previous period, with 7,370 unique titles removed from classrooms.

Why it matters

This trend highlights ongoing debates about censorship and educational content in schools.

How this story affects people

How does this story affect you if you are a student in a school with banned books?

You may find that access to diverse perspectives and important literary works is limited, which can affect your education and understanding of various social issues. This reduction in available reading material could hinder your ability to engage with critical thinking and discussions in the classroom.

How does this story affect you if you are a parent of a school-aged child?

You might be concerned about the implications of book bans on your child's education and exposure to different viewpoints. This trend could influence the curriculum and the types of discussions your child is able to participate in at school.

Read a briefing based on your profile

The breakdown above is the shared version, for kinds of people. In the app, Ripple uses your job, your city, and your family, then writes that part about you.

Download on the App Store

3 free Ripples in total. Read without an account. iPhone · iOS 26.0+ · United States