US Schools Record 12,000 Book Bans in Single Academic Year

Texas accounts for roughly three-fourths of the national total, with 8,100 reported bans driven by the 2025 state law SB 13. Florida follows with 3,200 instances. PEN America notes that the scale of these removals is being amplified by the use of artificial intelligence to generate lists of titles deemed profane or indecent, a practice that bypasses the traditional expertise of librarians and local community input.

Patricia McCormick’s novel Sold and the works of Stephen King top the list of targeted literature. Kasey Meehan, director of the Freedom to Read program, warned that removing these titles exacerbates the national decline in literacy by disconnecting students from narratives that foster empathy and imagination. Philomena Polefrone, a senior manager at the organization, described the environment as one of chaos and fear, noting that many of these bans remain invisible to the public unless uncovered through specific information requests.