Which U.S. States Lead in School Book Bans in 2025?
In the 2024–2025 school year, three U.S. states stand out for the highest numbers of documented school book bans: Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. Together, they account for a large share of the national total. This article looks at how many bans occurred, how new state laws drive the trend, and real examples of what’s being removed — in plain, straightforward terms.
Numbers You Should Know
PEN America tracked 6,870 instances of school book bans in 2024–2025 across 23 states and 87 school districts.
Florida leads with 2,304 bans in that period.
Texas follows with 1,781.
Tennessee comes third, with 1,622.
Over the years from mid-2021 through 2025, PEN has collected 22,810 cumulative instances — showing this is a sustained pattern.
Why These States Lead — New Laws & Movement
Florida
In 2023, Florida passed HB 1069, expanding the power to challenge and remove school materials for “sexual content” or “inappropriate sexual conduct.” That law’s vague definitions allow wide removal.
Facing legal pressure, several counties preemptively removed hundreds of titles before the school year began.
Many districts in Florida now remove books without waiting for formal complaints.
Texas
Texas’ HB 900 (2023) gives schools broad authority and incentivizes preemptive removal of books that might violate state rules.
Major school districts — Katy ISD, Lamar CISD, Fort Bend ISD — have large numbers of removals.
Proposed bills like SB 13 would make challenges more powerful, requiring removal until a review is done and giving more weight to parent or political advisory roles.
Tennessee
Tennessee’s new state laws restrict materials with nudity, sexual content, explicit violence, or “sadomasochistic abuse.”
Under these laws, classic titles (e.g. Beloved, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Wicked) have been removed in counties like Rutherford and Knox.
The stricter legal framework gives school boards and administrators wider latitude to pull contested books.
Real Examples & Patterns
In Rutherford County (TN), six well-known books were removed under the new law citing issues of “explicit content.”
In Knox County, the school board removed around fifty titles, including classic and contemporary works, under the state’s new rules.
In Texas, Katy ISD reported more than 500 removals; other districts in the state are doing similar large sweeps.
Shared Themes & Risks
These patterns appear across all three states:
Vague definitions: Laws use broad terms like “sexual content” or “age appropriate,” leaving room for wide interpretation.
Preemptive bans: Many removals happen without a formal challenge — schools act ahead of time to avoid controversy.
State pressure on districts: State rules, threats, or expectations push local districts to comply quickly.
Targeted topics: Books about race, LGBTQ+ themes, or sexuality are more likely to be removed.
Copycat effect: One district’s large purge can encourage others in the same state to follow suit, citing the same laws and reasons.
Why It Matters
Removing books limits students’ access to diverse viewpoints, stories, and voices.
Teachers and librarians may self-censor to avoid trouble.
Some removals ban important works of literature and scholarship, not just obscure titles.
