Book bans hit new high with Texas leading the way

By Shannon Murphy

October 07, 2026 at 07:54 AM

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What You Need To Know

There were nearly 12,000 book bans in public schools across the United States during the 2025-2026 school year.
Book bans disproportionately target stories about race and racism, sex and sexuality, and LGBTQ+ characters.
An overwhelming majority of book bans came from Texas, with over 8,000 titles banned.

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