STO: Banned & Challenged Books

Created on November 15, 2023, 5:11 pm

Last Updated May 4, 2024, 10:19 am

America's most banned and challenged books, from 2000 through today. Reasons for bans and challenges are provided by the American Library Association.
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Banned and challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism, and because it was thought to promote anti-police views, contain divisive topics, and to be "too much of a sensitive matter right now."
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22) Speak
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Banned, challenged, and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint and it was claimed to be biased against male students, and for the novel's inclusion of rape and profanity.
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Challenged for divisive language and because it was thought to promote anti-police views.
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Banned and challenged for racial slurs and their effect on students, for featuring a "white savior" character, for its depiction of the Black experience, and violence.
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Banned and challenged for violence and for racial slurs and racist stereotypes and their effects on students.
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Challenged and vandalized for LGBTQIA+ content, political and religious viewpoints, for concerns that it would "pollute the morals of its readers," and for not including a content warning.
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Challenged and banned for LGBTQIA+ content, for discussing gender identity and sex education, and for concerns that the title and illustrations are inappropriate.
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Challenged and restricted for featuring a gay marriage and LGBTQIA+ content, for being a "deliberate attempt to indoctrinate young children," and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint.
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Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, language, a transgender character, being inaccurate, and for discussing a topic that is "sensitive, controversial, and politically charged."
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Banned and challenged for profanity and because it was considered sexually explicit.
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31) Drama
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Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, for concerns that it goes against "family values/morals," and for being confusing.
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Banned, challenged, burned, and forbidden from discussion for referring to magic, witchcraft, and the occult/Satanism; for containing "actual" curses and spells; for violence, a religious viewpoint, and being anti-family; and for characters that use "nefarious means" to attain goals. Most banned & challenged series in America from 2000-2009.
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Challenged for depicting a same-sex couple, being anti-family and anti-ethnic, and having political and religious viewpoints.
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Challenged for offensive language, violence, encouraging disruptive behavior, being anti-family and sexually explicit, and for including a same-sex couple.
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Banned, challenged, and restricted for discussing teen suicide, being sexually explicit, and drug and alcohol use.
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Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, LGBT characters, a political viewpoint, and certain illustrations.
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Challenged for depicting stereotypes of Mexican culture.
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Challenged and burned for including LGBTQIA+ content.
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Challenged and burned for including LGBTQIA+ content, depicting two boys kissing on the cover, condoning public displays of affection, and was considered to be sexually explicit.
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Challenged and banned for depictions of sexual violence, offensive language, homosexuality, and concerns that it would "lead to terrorism" and "promote Islam."
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