PEN America has released new figures showing 11,982 instances of books being removed or access being restricted in U.S. public schools during the 2025–2026 school year, up sharply from 6,870 the previous year. It is the highest annual total recorded since the nonprofit began tracking school book bans in 2021–2022.
The restrictions did not stop at American publications. Japanese manga was also affected, with Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan among the works targeted by some school districts. After eliminating cases in which the same book was banned by multiple districts, 7,370 unique titles were affected nationwide.
PEN America noted that the surge in book bans coincided with the start of Donald Trump’s second Republican administration. In recent years, conservative advocacy groups and Republican politicians have continued pressuring local school districts to restrict books featuring violence, sexual content, LGBTQ themes, and other subjects.
Texas accounted for 8,193 instances of book bans, while Florida recorded 3,212, putting both states far ahead of the rest of the country. The report also found that some school districts are now using artificial intelligence to help screen books and decide which titles should be removed, adding another layer of controversy to how school libraries are being reviewed.
via： 産経ニュース