Nearly 12,000 Books Banned in US Public Schools During 2025-2026 Year
US public schools recorded nearly 12,000 book bans during the 2025-2026 school year, the highest since tracking began in 2021, affecting over 7,300 unique titles by more than 4,000 authors. Texas led with over 8,100 bans, influenced by state law SB 13, followed by Florida. Frequently banned works include classics like Jane Eyre, contemporary novels such as The Handmaid's Tale, and manga. The report notes increased use of artificial intelligence to identify books for removal, with challenges often related to themes of race, sexuality, and gender identity.
First-hand measurement across 3 sources
We measured how 3 outlets covered this story. No outlet gave this story a measurable political slant — there is no left–right reading to report. Overall sentiment is negative (39/100). Lens Score 47/100.
Outlets measured: news18, indianexpress, economictimes. See how each one headlined and framed the same story in the source comparison below.
AI Analysis
Sentiment was consistent across outlets (28–48/100), indicating broadly factual reporting rather than editorialising.
Coverage timeline
economictimes broke this story on 5 Oct, 01:25 pm. Other outlets followed.