In a troubling trend, there has been rising book bans in United States, with a significant number of these bans centered on books deemed “sexual” or “inappropriate,” as reported by PEN America, an advocacy group championing literary and free expression.
According to the recent report of PEN America, during the last academic year, book bans in public schools across the country rose by a staggering 33%. These bans, often initiated by concerned parents and conservative groups, have sparked a nationwide discussion about the boundaries of free speech and the role of literature in education.
PEN America’s latest study, released recently, meticulously documented over 3,000 instances of book bans in 33 different states. Florida emerged as the state with the highest number of book bans, exceeding 1,400 cases, closely followed by Texas, which had 625 bans during the 2022-2023 school year, maintaining its status as a leader in this concerning trend.
Kasey Meehan, the program director for PEN America’s Freedom to Read initiative and the lead author of the report, stressed the importance of these findings. She stated, “Florida may not necessarily be an anomaly here but may just be ahead of other states. It may be signaling where other states are going – the increased way in which groups are coordinated across some states and the role in which legislation may have on book bans,” during an interview with CNN.
The report also highlighted the role of legislation in book bans, noting that 63% of all bans occurred in eight states where laws directly influenced book censorship or had a chilling effect on educators. These states include Florida, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.
Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, expressed her deep concerns about the growing book banning movement, stating, “The toll of the book banning movement is getting worse. More kids are losing access to books, more libraries are taking authors off the shelves, and opponents of free expression are pushing harder than ever to exert their power over students as a whole.”
The report delved into the reasons behind these bans, revealing that 48% of the banned titles in the last school year dealt with themes or instances of violence and abuse, including sexual assault. Additionally, 42% of the banned books addressed topics related to health and well-being, such as mental health and substance abuse.
Furthermore, the report found that 33% of the banned books contained depictions of sexual experiences between characters, 30% included characters of color or discussed issues of race and racism, and 30% featured LGBTQ characters or themes.
It’s worth noting that more than 75% of the books targeted for bans were specifically written and selected for younger audiences, falling into categories like young adult, middle grade, chapter, and picture books.
During the 2022-2023 school year, this wave of book bans resulted in the removal of access to 1,557 different titles, including well-known works such as “Tricks” by Ellen Hopkins, “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, and “Looking for Alaska” by John Green.
Kasey Meehan emphasized that PEN America’s analysis reveals a shifting and expanding focus within the book banning movement. While books featuring LGBTQ individuals and people of color continue to be targeted, there is a growing emphasis on removing books described as “sexually explicit” or “harmful to minors.”
