NEW YORK — A new report found that Florida saw the highest number of book ban cases in the last half of 2023, with more than half of the 3,135 cases coming from just one county.
According to Pen America, Florida saw 3,135 book ban cases across 11 school districts over the second half of 2023. The report found over 1,600 of those book ban cases took place in Escambia County Public Schools.
Pen America said Wisconsin had the second-most recorded bans, with 481 across three districts. Iowa ranked third with 142 bans, and Texas had 141 bans across four school districts.
Pen listed trends that were part of the book bans, including:
- Censorship of sexual violence
- Continued hostility towards LGBTQ+ books
- Transgender narratives in the crosshairs
- "Critical Race Theory" backlash
- Vocal individuals or small groups disempower parents and students
- Resistance is Rising
Pen America summarized its report by saying, "The message is clear: books aren't harmful—censorship is."
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