What Is a Book Ban?
Book banning refers to the removal or restriction of books from public access, typically in schools and libraries. Understanding the terminology is essential for engaging in conversations about intellectual freedom.
Book Challenge
A formal request to remove or restrict access to a book, usually filed by a parent, community member, or organization. A challenge is the first step toward a potential ban.
Example: A parent submits a complaint form asking the school library to remove a novel from its shelves.
Book Ban
The successful removal of a book from a library, classroom, or curriculum following a challenge or administrative decision. A banned book is no longer available to students or patrons.
Example: A school board votes to remove several titles from all district libraries.
Restricted Access
A middle-ground measure where a book remains available but with limitations, such as requiring parental permission, moving it to a special section, or removing it from displays.
Example: A book is moved behind the librarian's desk and can only be checked out with a signed permission slip.
Soft Censorship
Informal or unofficial methods of limiting access to books, such as not purchasing certain titles, not displaying them prominently, or creating administrative barriers to access.
Example: A librarian is discouraged from ordering books on certain topics, even though there's no official ban.
Not every challenge results in a ban. Many challenged books remain on shelves after review. However, the challenge process itself can have a chilling effect, causing educators and librarians to self-censor by avoiding controversial materials.
How Books Get Banned
Book banning typically follows a process that varies by school district or library system. Understanding this process is key to participating in decisions about library collections.
A Challenge Is Filed
Someone—usually a parent, but sometimes an organized group—submits a formal complaint about a book. Most districts require filling out a form that asks why the book should be removed and whether the challenger has read it.
Review Committee Convenes
The book is typically reviewed by a committee that may include librarians, teachers, administrators, parents, and sometimes students. They read the book and evaluate it against selection policies.
Public Input Period
Many districts allow community members to speak at school board meetings or submit written comments. This is when supporters and opponents of the challenge make their voices heard.
Decision Is Made
The school board or library board votes on whether to remove, restrict, or retain the book. The decision may be appealed, leading to additional review.
Implementation
If a ban is approved, the book is removed from shelves. This may affect just one school, an entire district, or in some cases, all public libraries in a region.
Variations in the Process
Some school districts and states have adopted expedited processes that bypass traditional review committees, allowing administrators to remove books without full review. Other districts have implemented policies requiring any book with a complaint to be immediately removed pending investigation. These changes have accelerated the pace of book removals in recent years.
What Books Are Commonly Targeted?
While any book can potentially face a challenge, certain categories of books are disproportionately targeted for removal. Understanding these patterns reveals important information about whose stories are being silenced.
Most Frequently Targeted
- Books with LGBTQ+ characters or themes
- Books by and about people of color
- Books addressing racism and social justice
- Books with sexual content or themes
- Books dealing with mental health issues
Common Reasons Cited
- “Age-inappropriate” content
- “Sexual” or “explicit” material
- “Divisive” or “critical” perspectives
- “Anti-family” or “anti-religious” themes
- “Violence” or “dark themes”
Research consistently shows that books featuring diverse characters and perspectives are the most frequently challenged. The American Library Association reports that the majority of challenged books in recent years have been by or about LGBTQ+ individuals or people of color.
Current Statistics and Trends
Book banning has surged dramatically in recent years, reaching levels not seen in decades. Here are the key statistics that illustrate the current landscape.
10,000+
Books Challenged
Record number of book challenges filed in schools and libraries during the 2023-2024 school year
47%
Target LGBTQ+ Content
Nearly half of all challenged books feature LGBTQ+ characters or themes
4,000+
Titles Removed
Books actually removed from school libraries in the 2023-2024 school year
Key Trends
- •Organized Campaigns: Book challenges are increasingly coordinated by national organizations that provide lists of targeted titles and template complaint forms, rather than originating from individual parents.
- •Legislative Action: Multiple states have passed laws that make it easier to remove books or penalize educators and librarians who provide access to challenged materials.
- •Geographic Concentration: While challenges occur nationwide, they are concentrated in certain states and districts, with Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah, and South Carolina seeing the highest numbers.
- •Chilling Effects: Many librarians and teachers report self-censoring—avoiding certain books or topics—even when no formal challenge has been filed, due to fear of backlash.
Why This Matters
When books are removed from schools and libraries, it affects all students—not just those who might have read those particular titles. It sends a message about whose stories are valued, what topics are acceptable to discuss, and what ideas are “dangerous.” For students who see themselves reflected in banned books, the removal can feel like an erasure of their identity and experiences.