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International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
World
Regyl Jaen

US Schools Record Nearly 12,000 Book Bans, the Highest Ever in a Single Year, as 'Jane Eyre' and 'Lessons in Chemistry' Join the List

PEN America United States Florida Texas Bonnie Garmus Charlotte Brontë Stephen King
PEN America says growing book bans restrict students’ freedom to read and access diverse perspectives. (Credit: Pexels/cottonbro studio)

US public schools recorded nearly 12,000 book-ban instances during the 2025–2026 school year, the highest annual total since PEN America began tracking book censorship in 2021.

Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and Bonnie Garmus' Lessons in Chemistry were among the titles recorded for the first time, alongside manga, young adult fiction, and other works. The latest figures bring PEN America's total to 34,000 book-ban instances since it began tracking in 2021.

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