State of Book Banning, Censorship, and Attacks on Our Libraries and Educators in 2025

Across the country, the freedom to read and access information is under siege. Book banning efforts have escalated dramatically, targeting public schools, libraries, educators, and the very principles of free expression. At the Freedom to Learn Foundation, we are tracking these threats and mobilizing communities to push back.

📚 A Record-Setting Year for Censorship

In the 2023–2024 school year alone, PEN America documented over 10,000 book bans in public schools—affecting more than 4,000 unique titles. This wave of censorship marks a sharp increase from past years and is disproportionately aimed at books by or about people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Meanwhile, the American Library Association (ALA) reported 1,247 censorship demands in 2023, targeting more than 4,240 titles—a 65% increase over 2022. These are the highest numbers recorded in more than two decades.

📌 36% of banned books feature characters or authors of color
📌 25% include LGBTQ+ themes or narratives

🏛️ Legislative Attacks at the State Level

Across more than 20 states, coordinated efforts have introduced or passed legislation limiting what books can be accessed by students and communities. These laws often use vague language around “obscenity” or “parental rights” to justify removing award-winning and historically significant works from shelves.

In states like Florida, Texas, Iowa, and Missouri, school boards and political groups have succeeded in removing titles such as The Bluest Eye, Gender Queer, The Kite Runner, and even 1984.

In some cases, these bans extend beyond school libraries into public institutions—placing librarians, teachers, and administrators in legal jeopardy simply for doing their jobs.

⚖️ Legal Pushback

Thankfully, there is growing resistance. In Iowa, a federal judge blocked a sweeping law that banned any books with descriptions of sexual activity from school libraries. The court ruled that the law was overbroad and infringed on students’ First Amendment rights.

Legal challenges have also emerged in states like Arkansas and Texas, where plaintiffs argue that such laws violate constitutional protections and threaten to erase marginalized voices from public discourse.

👩‍🏫 Educators and Librarians Under Threat

The pressure on educators and librarians is intensifying. According to First Book:

• 7% of educators have removed books due to fear of censorship laws.
• 65% say book bans harm their ability to teach effectively.
• Many report facing harassment or threats for defending the right to read.

Simultaneously, the federal government has reversed course on investigating civil rights violations related to book bans, and critical institutions like the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) have come under political pressure, jeopardizing federal support for libraries nationwide.

📣 We Must Act—Now.

Book bans are not just about books. They’re about power—who gets to tell stories, whose voices are heard, and whose history is remembered.

Join Us in the Fight for Intellectual Freedom:

✅ Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed
✅ Attend a local school board or library meeting
✅ Support librarians and educators on the frontlines
✅ Donate to help fund legal defense and advocacy campaigns
✅ Contact your state legislators and urge them to defend the freedom to read

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🛑 Censorship is never neutral. Silence is never safe. The time to fight back is now.

Stand with the Freedom to Learn Foundation to protect our libraries, our teachers, and our future.

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