There were 2,532 instances of individual book bans affecting
1,648 titles at 5,000 schools with 4 million students, according
to the report. The research found 1,000 more book bans than were
documented in the group's initial report released in April.
PEN America said the rapid rise came as a growing number of
groups have targeted books dealing with race or LGBTQ issues.
The report identified at least 50 groups active in pushing for
book bans, the vast majority of which have formed since 2021.
"This rapidly accelerating movement has resulted in more and
more students losing access to literature that equips them to
meet the challenges and complexities of democratic citizenship,"
said Jonathan Friedman, lead author of the report.
While proponents of book bans emphasize the importance of
parental control, PEN America said the movement has gone beyond
the normal give-and-take between parents and educators and
morphed into a sophisticated and well-resourced campaign.
One group identified by PEN America mobilized against a school
district that taught about transgender identities, the report
said.
Another emphasizes the dangers of critical race theory, an
esoteric field of study in law school or graduate school.
Opponents have leveraged concerns over CRT to suppress works
about the history of slavery, desegregation and the civil rights
movement.
More than 40% of the banned titles address lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and queer themes or have prominent queer
characters. The most frequently banned book was "Gender Queer: A
Memoir" by Maia Kobabe, which was banned by 41 school districts.
Race also drew the attention of censors, with 40% of the banned
titles featuring prominent character of color. The most banned
authors include the late Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, whose
works largely deal with race, and other winners of prestigious
literary awards.
Other banned books touched on sexual content, rights and
activism, or stories with religious minorities.
Texas accounted for the most bans, with 801 in 22 districts,
followed by Florida and Pennsylvania.
(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; editing by Diane Craft)
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