Recent data reveals a dramatic increase in book bans across states and local governments, driven largely by newly implemented legislation. Advocacy groups, including PEN America, reported on Monday that over 10,000 books were removed from public schools during the 2023-24 school year, a figure nearly three times higher than the previous year.
The rise in bans follows a trend that began around 2021, fueled by conservative groups and social media campaigns highlighting certain titles as objectionable. In particular, states like Florida and Iowa have enacted laws that have significantly impacted access to books. Iowa’s law, effective in 2023, bans materials depicting sexual acts in K-12 schools, while Florida mandates the removal of books challenged for “sexual conduct” pending review.
Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read program, noted that while Florida and Iowa lead the numbers, the issue is pervasive across the country. Meanwhile, the American Library Association reported a slight decrease in challenges to library materials in early 2024, yet acknowledged that overall banning remains significantly higher than pre-2020 levels.
Deborah Caldwell-Stone, from the American Library Association, pointed to pressures on librarians as a factor affecting data collection, with many hesitant to report challenges amid increasing scrutiny. Both organizations emphasized that their reported figures likely underestimate the true scale of book bans, as local news coverage of these issues is declining.
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