Every year, an estimated 75,000 books are banned globally. Of that, an astonishing 13% are from the United States. The trend of local politicians, state boards of education, and school administrators banning books is increasing, harming students’ learning nationwide. Because of these bans, information about gender, history, and race is becoming less accessible for students, often leading to a general lack of knowledge and a narrowed worldview.
According to PEN America, a US-based advocacy organization fighting for free speech, book bans nearly tripled during the 2023-24 academic school year: 10,000 books were banned from school libraries in the last year, while the average had been 3,000in previous years. PEN notes that this uptick of book bannings began in 2022 when largely southern, conservative states collectively began illegalizing novels, officially making it a crime for them to be present in classroom settings. To date, 9,263 books have been banned in red-voting states in the past three years. In comparison, 889 books have been banned in blue states throughout the history of the United States.
However, this issue is not only caused by local governments. In fact, federal funding cuts implemented through an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March aim to deplete funding of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and a similarly-themed budget titled FY2026 intends to eliminate funding altogether. If approved, a significant portion of the United States’ 125,000 libraries would be shut down, limiting access to books.
At Parker, seniors Eva Jakobe and Paige Randell are trying to combat the issue. Banned Book Club founder Eva Jakobe said, “Over the last four years, we have seen a huge hike in book bans as governments have passed legislation that allows books to be banned across entire states. The Department of Defense has even begun to enact such bans in public schools on military bases, meaning that 67,000 students are not engaging with gender theory or Black History Month.”
Today, some states have set laws in place to outlaw book censorship. Led by Governor J.B. Pritzker, Illinois has been the first state to officially ban book bannings. “Young people shouldn’t be kept from learning about the realities of our world. I want them to become critical thinkers, exposed to ideas that they disagree with, proud of what our nation has overcome, and thoughtful about what comes next,” Pritzker said.
Every year, the Chicago Public Library participates in Banned Books Week in an attempt to build on the same anti-book ban mentality shared by Pritzker. Panels are hosted at various city locations encouraging people to read banned books and speak out on their suppression. Though Illinois still has two books that are banned from schools, efforts made by young adults pressuring governments into allowing literary freedom have proven successful. Communities frequently engage in activism through city-wide protests that Pritzker admits have led to his decision. “Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in the books they read, the art they see, the history they learn. In Illinois, we are showing the nation what it really looks like to stand up for liberty,” Pritzker said.
While Parker doesn’t ban books from its shelves, Jakobe noted that the club was formed in part to “create a space at Parker for students to celebrate the novels which are often targeted while working to unpack the complex implications of banning for readers wishing to find solace in writing or to enhance their perspective.”
However, the balance between censorship and monitoring for school-appropriate material can be challenging. Librarians are often tasked with weeding (the process of removing books because of outdated content or relevance), but when doing so, they also need to cater to the needs of readers. Certain historical books may demonstrate an author’s internal bias or touch on real-world violence, but by removing them, students are unable to learn from the mistakes of predecessors. According to the American Library Association, The Diary of Anne Frank is the 62nd most banned book nationally. If removed from all schools, students may never be able to look at a real-world catastrophe through a first-hand perspective, a rare opportunity only possible through books or limited original documents.
But not all hope is lost. A lawsuit filed by the American Library Association aims to reverse Trump’s IMLS cuts. Federal judges nationwide agree that the proposed budget cuts were not written with congressional approval and should thus be dismissed. To get involved, these judges suggest that interested groups reach out to their local members of Congress, describing their positive experiences with public libraries. Additionally, they suggest supporting organizations fighting for IMLS through donations or funding.
At Parker, Randell offers some advice. “Read banned books. Learn, analyze, and try to understand the world from a new perspective. You’re not always going to relate to the content you’re reading, and that’s a good thing! Reading banned books helps you learn more about yourself and your communities, but it also allows you to experience someone else’s life.”
