Something is happening in America that is causing parents, students and educators to take notice. Books are being banned in schools at a higher rate than they have in years, as conservative politicians and parent groups across the country have raised concerns regarding certain topics being made accessible to students without their approval or input. Some are suggesting that lines of communication be opened, but others are simply banning controversial book titles entirely.

A book ban is an action taken against a book based on its content, as a result of parental or community challenges, administrative decisions, or in response to direct or threatened action by lawmakers or other governmental officials, that leads to a previously accessible book being either completely removed from availability to students, or where access to a book is restricted or diminished. The books being banned were, at one point, either in a school or classroom library, a part of a curriculum, or they were selected by librarians and educators as part of an educational offerings to students. Book bans occur when those choices are overridden by school boards, administrators, teachers, or even politicians, because of a particular book's content.

2,500 books were banned in schools in a span of thirteen months. Starting in July, 2021 and ending in June, 2022, 1.648 individual books were banned in different areas around the country. Books were stripped from schools and libraries for a number of reasons. Some contained sexual content, others had issues of race and racism, themes of rights and activism. However, the vast majority of banned books contained LGBTQ+ and POC characters and themes. PEN America estimates that at least 40 percent of bans are connected to either proposed or enacted legislation, or to political pressure exerted by state officials or elected lawmakers to restrict the teaching or presence of certain books or concepts.

Some of the books banned are nonfiction books about histories of civil rights movements and biographies of people of color. Books that speak on teens' mental and physical health have a place in these bans as well. Some books are being targeted for having diverse characters and people from different ethnic backgrounds. “And Tango Makes Three”, the 50th most banned book in America, is a book about two male penguins who create a family together. The full list of banned books range from children's picture books to nonfiction educational books about puberty and sexual issues. Most of these titles are works of fiction targeting young adults, but middle grade and adult books took a hit as well.

Polls show that Americans of all political persuasions oppose book bans due to their undemocratic nature. Many feel that banning books has an incredibly harmful effect on students and their right to choose from a diverse range of books. People who come from historically marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQ+ community, can only watch as libraries are being emptied of books that reflect their lives and the lives of those they can relate to.