Books banned across US hit record high in 2023-2024 school year: report

As book banning seemingly becomes a trend across the United States, a new report from PEN America confirms a staggering leap in banning instances over the course of the current 2023-2024 school year.

Back in 2022, Florida became the first of several states to make it easier for residents to challenge books in schools, but this week, the Sunshine state became the first to roll back its policy.

The governor signed a new law on Tuesday, deciding that Florida residents who don’t have children in local public schools will have significantly fewer chances to challenge books in local K-12 libraries.

The new legislation will enforce a limit of one objection to a book per month for people who don't have children in a given school district; those who do have children in a district will continue to be allowed unlimited challenges to library books.

PEN America's data shows there were more than 4,000 instances of booking banning across the nation during the first half of the 2023-2024 school year. This is notably more books banned than in the entire 2022-2023 school year.

PEN America has documented over 10,000 bans over the last two and a half years (July 2021 to December 2023).

Most recently, analysts examined book bans from July to December 2023 in 52 public school districts across 23 states. They found a wave of intense scrutiny over books that discuss women, sexual violence, and rape.

The report also showed that books surrounding topics of race and racism as well as LGBTQ+ and transgender identities continue to be targeted at consistently high rate, according to PEN America.

PEN America researchers noted that Florida continues to be the state with the highest number of bans -- at 3,135 bans across 11 school districts.

Over 1,600 of those book bans took place in Escambia County Public Schools, the district with the most bans nationwide, researchers noted.

Meantime, the report highlighted how book bans are increasing in other states. Wisconsin saw 481 bans across three schools districts, Iowa experienced 142 in three school districts as well, and Texas followed right behind at 141 bans across four school districts.

However, while the amount of bans tick up, there's a growing movement that's pushing back.

PEN America says across the country, students are leading protests, starting banned book clubs, installing free community bookshelves and raising funds to buy new books for districts impacted by the widespread bans.

“Students are at the epicenter of the book banning movement, and they’re fearlessly spearheading the fight against this insidious encroachment into what they can read and learn across the country,” Kasey Meehan, PEN America's Freedom to Read Program Director, said.

Some celebrities have also taken stances. Popstar P!nk made it loud and clear during the Florida performances of her 2023 Trustfall Tour: "no more banned books."

Back in November, the singer-songwriter teamed up with PEN America and Florida bookseller Books & Books to give away 2,000 banned books at her concerts in the Sunshine State.

“Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” P!nk said in a news release. “It’s especially hateful to see authorities take aim at books about race and racism and against LGBTQ authors and those of color. We have made so many strides toward equality in this country and no one should want to see this progress reversed."