Florida has again been rated No. 1 in the nation for book bans.
The state had more than 4,500 instances of book banning in public schools during the 2023-24 school year, according to a new report from national free speech group PEN America. That's a dramatically higher number than the year before: 1,406 bans.
With just over 10,000 book bans recorded nationwide — and over 4,000 unique titles removed — that means nearly half originated in Florida. Iowa followed with the second-highest count, exceeding 3,600 bans.
Nearly half of school districts in Florida banned books last school year, according to PEN America.
