As we close out the first quarter of what is turning into the longest year in a nonstop series of long years, let’s take a few moments to look back at the biggest book censorship stories so far. Some of these stories will have links to read further, while others will be short summaries of what’s been going on. In an era where the news on book censorship is only continuing to escalate in number and in speed, pausing to catch up on the biggest stories helps give perspective on what’s come before, where we are now, and what to anticipate in the coming months.
From Individual School Bans to State Legislation
Though not a new phenomenon–and indeed, one written about here for years–this year’s collection of book censorship news makes something startlingly clear. What began as targeted attacks on individual books in individual schools, school districts, and public libraries has pushed upward to state-level legislation targeting these institutions and their staff. Just the number of librarian criminalization bills in 2025 alone shows how many state legislatures have folded to rhetoric spewed by high-level officials, as well as those on the ground.
None of this stops at the state level, though. The states are testing grounds for what the goals are at the federal level, as you’ll see shortly.
Utah and South Carolina Amp Up State-Sanctioned Book Bans
Utah has banned three books from every public school in the state since the start of the year. This brings the number of books the state demands must be removed from these public institutions to 17. The bulk of these state-wide bans are a result of bans in two districts alone, and the average age of the books being banned is 14. Most are penned by women. Utah’s law also states that no student may be in possession of any of these books on school property, whether or not it is their personal copy.
South Carolina has also been busy banning books across the state. Where Utah requires that books have been banned in 3 school districts to be banned statewide, South Carolina allows anyone who wishes to submit book complaints directly to the State Department of Education. This means that folks like Elizabeth Szalai, who didn’t get her way when books were challenged and retained in Beaufort County, can get the state to step in and make a decision (the “local control” argument book banners have been making for years has always been a lie). Four books have been banned in every school library in South Carolina this year, with 10 more on deck for the same fate as early as April 1.
The Department of Defense Education Activity Book Bans
As reported in mid-February: “administrators at Department of Defense Education Activity Schools received a memo directing them to pull certain lessons and materials from their curriculum pending review. Materials include books that are out of alignment with the new administration’s “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” and “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” executive orders. This order comes after the Department of Defense signaled they would be following the Pentagon’s January 31 directive to end all celebrations related to identity and race.” Among the books falling within the scope of this book ban order are Hillbilly Elegy, Well-Read Black Girl, The Kite Runner, and so many more.
In the wake of this order, students protested. This one isn’t going down quietly.
LGBTQ+ Books On The Line in Supreme Court Case
Next month, the Supreme Court will take up a case related to books in public schools. The case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, is about a situation in Montgomery County, Maryland, schools, where students were given access to a number of LGBTQ+ picture books. The question at hand is whether or not schools have the right to provide such materials without giving parents an opportunity to openly be bigots to opt their kids out of learning that LGBTQ+ people exist.
Given the slate of judges making the decision here, I’m not optimistic about the outcome. That said, if the law works as it should and the plaintiffs in this case win the argument, this would not ban books but would require parental opt-outs for all materials used in school. Still book censorship, of course, and more, a supreme nightmare for educators in our besieged public schools.
We haven’t had a case about books like this before the Supreme Court since Island Trees v. Pico.
The Dismantling of the Department of Education and the Institute for Museum and Library Services
The end of the Department of Education (DOE) was clear since the beginning of this administration’s campaign. The moment it was taken over, new leaders began to spread lies, misinformation, and propaganda about a book ban “hoax” and brought in people like Tiffany Justice, Moms For Liberty cofounder, to provide “expert quotes” about the role of the department.
The only federal agency providing support to publicly-funded libraries and museums, the Institute for Museum and Library Studies (IMLS) has been turned into a propaganda machine. Projects that don’t support the new acting director’s goals of spreading lies about American exceptionalism and history will likely no longer be funded and it is very likely funding that supports vital services in the states will come with plenty of strings attached.
We knew the dismantling of the DOE was coming, but the timing of its destruction was nothing short of intentional. It happened simultaneous to the ruin of the IMLS. The DOE being a massive part of the government by default overshadows what’s happened at IMLS, creating an opportunity for people who care deeply about both to be overwhelmed with information about one and miss what happened at the other. The court and legal system can only do so much right now, and the administration is doing everything it can to overwhelm lawyers and judges to get away with this kind of constitutional overreach.
This is intentional desecration of knowledge and cultural good in America, done at the hands of an unelected billionaire. It will be the end of crucial information services providing access to all Americans, including databases of actual scientific research and systems that allow users to borrow books from any library across the nation. Access to technology will be slashed, making it even harder for seniors to apply for things like Social Security–a necessity now that Social Security in person meetings and offices have been brutalized by the same executive regime.
Mis- and dis- information were on the ballot. They were campaign promises.
The American education, library, and museum systems that have helped educate and connect us as people for generations are going to be fundamentally changed starting now, and not for good. For anyone paying attention at all over the last five years, it’s not surprising. But surprising or not, it is devastating, and we’re going to feel the repercussions of this not only in terms of achievement, but also right in our wallets.
Schools, libraries, and museums won’t go away. They’re just going to become pay-to-play, allowing the oligarchs who are currently pillaging public goods to turn around and repackage these same goods at a premium price.
Book Censorship News: March 28, 2025
- Fairhope Public Library (AL) has lost its state library funding for not removing books in the collection. The Read Freely Alabama group is helping raise funds to keep the library open.
- The Athens-Limestone County Public Library (AL) is being accused of having “inappropriate” materials in the collection, so now the board has had to issue a statement explaining the lies being spread about said books. This is what we’re dealing with, folks.
- A Texas bill that would allow school boards to make final decisions on books acquired in school libraries, rather than trained librarians, is one step closer to passing.
- Numbers of people showed up at the Traverse City, Michigan, public library in support of the book Granddad’s Pride, which was challenged by a patron who claimed kids could not consent to seeing sexual fetish imagery if they walked by the book. The book will NOT be removed from shelves.
- “Carrie Schmidt sent photos of Gardner Edgerton High School [KS] to Libs of TikTok page & filed a lawsuit citing President Donald Trump’s order.” She was banned from the school property and is now allowed back on.
- This may have been in last week’s roundup, but it’s worth inclusion here again. The Suffield Library Commission (CT) is considering banning young people from LGBTQ+ books.
- Redlands Unified School District (CA) hit a stalemate in debating whether to remove “sexual content” from school libraries, ban certain flags, and more anti-queer policies. Recall this is an anti-book ban state.
- Radnor, Pennsylvania, students walked out of school in protest of their school board banning three books.
- The Linebaugh Library Board (TN) is removing any and all books with the topics of “transgenderism, body dysmorphia, gender identity and similar subjects.” First, “transgenderism” is not a thing and second, way to undermine actual science and life. This library is part of the Rutherford County Public Library system.
- Educators sue St. Francis Area Schools (MN) over book ban policy. Remember, this is a “good” “blue” state with an anti-book ban policy. That stuff means nothing if it’s not enforced. Kudos to these educators.
- Students at St. Francis Area Schools also walked out in protest.
- The Naval Academy, since it is not under the purview of the Department of Defense Education Activity order, will not be removing DEI materials from its libraries.
- Two genital-obsessed republican politicians in Florida are trying to get inclusive book displays banned at their respective public libraries.
- More on the debates between conspiracy theorists and rational minds on whether or not students have the freedom to read in Oregon.
- The Library Board of Trustees in Susquehanna County (PA) has made a new policy that parents have full access to the library records of their children.
- “Literally six paragraphs are what this book is going to be either be kept or removed on, and that is so frustrating,” Michael Howell said of “Last Night at the Telegraph Club,” comparing its literary merit to “The Kite Runner.” This is from a poorly-headlined story about how Brevard County Schools (FL) just banned three books. Screw the Miller Test, I guess?
- Pasco County Public Libraries (FL) is creating new cards for parents to restrict access to what their child can borrow. All of these leveled cards are lawsuits waiting to happen.
- Seven books were removed from the Georgetown Independent School District (TX) high school shelves.
- This is a bizarre story. Daviess County Public Library (KY) removed The Girl Guide by Marawa Ibrahim from library shelves after a complaint. There is apparently a bar code in the middle of the book that goes to some random, unconnected website? Making guesses isn’t always smart but it wouldn’t be a leap to think maybe this was intentional defacement of a book to create a nonsense panic.
- The current status of Garfield County Public Libraries (CO). I’m not sure the new board members are going to help end the nonstop attacks on “inappropriate” books for children.
- “A federal judge has refused to dismiss the former president of the Lafayette Public Library’s [LA] governing board from a First Amendment lawsuit against him and Lafayette Consolidated Government.” This is good news–the anti-censorship folks who are suing over First Amendment rights violations are allowed to pursue the case.
- Katy Independent School District (TX) banned four more books, including three comics and a children’s book about racism.
- Wentzville Schools (MO) banned Sold this week. This story may be paywalled.
Psst: you’ll soon be able to stream the documentary Banned Together.
