As Banned Books Week Starts, Reports Show Challenges Both Up and Down
Challenges have surged to record highs over the past few years, and the 2024 totals so far still exceed the American Library Association's numbers before 2020.
Utah Bans 13 Books at Schools, Including Popular “A Court of Thorns and Roses” Series, Under New Law
Utah’s actions come amid a renewed push in recent years to ban more books by conservatives around the country despite concerns from free speech advocates and some educators and parents.
DeSantis Narrows Focus of Florida Book Challenge Law, Blaming Liberal Activist
PEN America issued a report saying Florida is responsible for 72% of the books that have been pulled from the nation’s schools in the first half of the current school year.
Federal Lawsuit Against Florida School District That Banned Books Can Move Forward, Judge Rules
The federal lawsuit alleges the Escambia County School District and its School Board are violating the First Amendment through the removal of 10 books.
Florida Bans More Books Than Any Other U.S. State, Report Says
Florida bans more books from its public school libraries and classrooms than any other state in the country, according to a new report from PEN America released on Thursday.
Three Laws Signed by DeSantis at the Center of Florida’s Surge in Book Bans
Book bans have been surging across the country, but in Florida, school boards across the state have been purging their shelves following the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
PEN America Sues Florida School District Over Book Bans
PEN America, along with Penguin Random House publishing, select authors and parents of children enrolled in Florida’s Escambia County School District filed a federal lawsuit against the district and its board May 17 requesting banned books and those under review be returned to library shelves.
An Unprecedented Uptick in Book Bans Brings First Amendment Scrutiny
Virginia is among the top 10 states in book banning conflicts, according to a PEN America study. There, the ongoing battle has led most recently to a state judge throwing out a decades-old state obscenity law that had the effect of imposing a prior restraint on book distributors. And it stirred widespread opposition including one of the largest booksellers in the nation, Barnes & Noble.