Banned Books Week 2025 is Oct. 5–11. The theme for this year's event is, "Censorship Is So 1984. Read For Your Rights”.

As an English, reading and journalism teacher, I am concerned about news of increasing book bans. The organization PEN America recorded 10,046 instances of book bans in the 2023-2024 school year. Nearly 16,000 book bans in public schools nationwide were since 2021, a number not seen since the McCarthy Red Scare era of the 1950s.

In the 2023-2024 school year, PEN America counted book bans in 29 states and 220 public school districts, with Florida and Iowa leading in bans.

Government entities that include elected officials, board members, and administrators initiated 72% of demands to censor books in school and libraries.

States where legislation contributed to increase

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