Record number of books subject to ban attempts in schools, libraries: Media Miss

Mar 23, 2023

Shannon Longworth Anchor

By Shannon Longworth (Anchor), Ben Burke (Producer/Editor)

According to a report released by the American Library Association Thursday, March 23, attempts to ban a record number of books from schools and public libraries reached new highs in 2022. The record total of 2,571 books targeted for censorship was up 38% from the 1,858 books targeted in 2021. Just 566 books were targeted in 2020.

40% of the books challenged in 2022 were part of cases where 100 or more books were being challenged at once. In a statement, the director of the association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom said the overwhelming share of attempted book bans came from “organized censorship groups that target local library board meetings to demand removal of a long list of books they share on social media.”

“Each attempt to ban a book by one of these groups represents a direct attack on every person’s constitutionally protected right to freely choose what books to read and what ideas to explore,” Deborah Caldwell-Stone said. “The choice of what to read must be left to the reader or, in the case of children, to parents. That choice does not belong to self-appointed book police.”

In its report, the association noted the vast majority of the record number of books subjected to ban attempts in 2022 were written by or about people of color and members of the LGBTQ community.

“Their aim is to suppress the voices of those traditionally excluded from our nation’s conversations,” Caldwell-Stone said.

The association also added that bipartisan research firms in 2022 found voters across the political spectrum oppose efforts to remove books.

Straight Arrow News aims to identify when stories are being underreported on either side of the political aisle and media landscape. This story is a Media Miss for right-leaning outlets, with most sources reporting it being either left-leaning or center-oriented outlets, according to Ground.News.

Tags: American Library Association, Banned books, Books, LGBTQ Rights

The concept of banning books has become a rapidly growing debate in the U-S political sphere.

With more debate comes more challenges — which are now breaking records in quantity.

According to a report released by the American Library Association Thursday — there were attempts to ban more than 25-hundred books from schools and public libraries in 2022.

The record total was up from over 18-hundred in 2021 — and just 566 the year before that.

40 percent of the books challenged last year were part of cases where 100 or more books were being challenged at once.

In a statement — the director of the association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom said the overwhelming share of attempted book bans came from “organized censorship groups that target local library board meetings to demand removal of a long list of books they share on social media.”

Quote — “Each attempt to ban a book by one of these groups represents a direct attack on every person’s constitutionally protected right to freely choose what books to read and what ideas to explore. The choice of what to read must be left to the reader or, in the case of children, to parents.”

This story is considered a Media Miss, as it’s underreported by right-leaning outlets.

At Straight Arrow News, we work to cover a range of stories–and provide context for them.

In its report — the association noted the vast majority of challenged books were written by or about people of color and members of the L-G-B-T-Q community.

They also added that bipartisan research firms in 2022 found voters across the political spectrum oppose efforts to remove books.