Censorship specifically in education has a long history in the United States. Censorship suppresses material deemed offensive (McKoy Lowery, 2023). Often censorship is discussed in history classrooms (Laats & Meehan, 2024) where economic or social events attempt to restrict or limit individual rights (Jaeger, Jennings-Roche, Taylor, et al., 2023). However, the target of censorship has shifted over time (Blakemore, 2023). 

In the United States, book bans are an essential tool of censorship (Webb, n.d.). Further, book banning impedes democratic processes and encapsulates the divisive political rhetoric within the United States (Goncalves et al., 2024). Jaeger, Jennings-Roche, Taylor, et al. (2023) articulate the confluence of “access, policy, literacy, and politics” enhance censorship efforts (p. 2). Censorship through book bans is a long standing issue within the United States (Jaeger, Jennings-Roche, Taylor, et al., 2023). Without understanding the driving forces of the issue, it will continue to be a major issue.