Texas Surpasses Florida in School Library Book Removals, PEN America Report Shows
Florida has dropped to second place nationwide for the number of books removed from school libraries, with over 3,200 titles removed in the past year, according to a PEN America report. Texas now holds the top spot, surpassing Florida after…
Orlando Daytona Beach Melbourne, FL, October 6, 2026 — Florida has fallen from its leading position in nationwide school library book removals, now ranking second according to a recent report by PEN America. In the past year, over 3,200 titles were removed from Florida school libraries. Texas has now taken the top spot, surpassing Florida, which had previously held the number one position for three consecutive years.
The report from PEN America, an organization that champions freedom of expression, indicates a shift in the landscape of book challenges and removals across the United States. While Florida has seen a significant number of titles removed, its decrease in volume has allowed Texas to emerge as the state with the highest number of book removals in school libraries over the reported period. The exact number of titles removed in Texas was not provided in the summary information.
PEN America’s findings highlight ongoing trends in the review and removal of books from educational institutions. The organization tracks these removals as part of its efforts to monitor censorship and its impact on literature available to students. The change in ranking suggests a dynamic situation regarding book challenges in schools, with different states experiencing varying levels of activity in this area. Further details on the specific reasons for the removals or the types of books affected in either state were not specified in the summary.
Story summarized from the original created by McKenna Schueler on www.orlandoweekly.com, see more information here.
