Nearly 1,500 school book bans were imposed in the U.S. during the first half of the school year, PEN America said in a report published Thursday. According to the report, 1,477 bans were implemented between July and December 2022, affecting 874 books. The group fears that the real number is “unquestionably much higher” due to book bans not evident from public information. The number of bans is rising sharply as lawmakers—mostly Republican—try to dictate what should be taught or read in the classroom. “Again, and again, the movement to ban books is driven by a vocal minority demanding censorship,” PEN America said in their report, citing the fact that 70 percent of parents oppose book banning. “As book bans escalate, coupled with the proliferation of legislative efforts to restrict teaching about topics such as race, gender, American history, and LGBTQ+ identities, the freedom to read, learn, and think continues to be undermined for students.” Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah and South Carolina banned the most books, according to PEN America.
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