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Texas bans more books than any other state

Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios Nothing makes us want to read a book more than learning it's banned. Driving the news: It's and a from writers' group PEN America shows Texas has banned more books than any other state.The PEN America report found that 1,648 book titles were banned nationwide in 2,532 decisions from July 2021 to June 2022. Why it matters: Most of the listed books are about LGBTQ issues or people of color. PEN America calls the limits "deeply undemocratic." Plus, reading is great and should be encouraged, not discouraged, especially among kids who are reading for fun at the since . Zoom in: The report mentions bans in 32 states, including 22 school districts in Texas.North East ISD, near San Antonio, had the most bans with 435, followed by Granbury ISD with 133.Birdville, Denton, Frisco, Keller, Prosper and Richardson schools were also listed. Yes, but: The analysis details only bans reported to PEN America or challenges that made the news. The report doesn't include notable bans in the school district or Keller's most recent controversy over . Details: Some of the banned books were on our high school English reading lists, including classics "" and "," the latter ranking eighth among the in 2021. petitioned after school officials pulled "," an often challenged memoir about growing up as a gay Black male. Granbury ISD posted a that were returned to libraries after review, but "," "" and "," a novel about segregation in East Texas, were still removed. Of note: While the publicity surrounding book bans has led to an increase in sales, their books still won't be read by students who can access only library books. Our thought bubble: We hope these bans lead to more people reading more books that lead to more discussions about potentially uncomfortable topics. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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