Stephen King most-banned author in US schools

By Asiye Latife Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) — Bestselling author Stephen King was the most-banned writer in US schools during the 2024-25 academic year, according to a new report by PEN America.

Eighty-seven of King’s works, including The Stand, It and The Shining, were banned 206 times between July 2024 and June 2025. PEN America recorded a total of 6,870 book bans in 87 school districts across 23 states during that period.

Florida led the bans for the third consecutive year, followed by Texas and Tennessee, The Hill reported Friday.

Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read program, said censorship has grown in scope and intensity through laws, directives, misleading labels and restrictive book lists.

“A disturbing ‘everyday banning’ and normalization of censorship has worsened and spread over the last four years. The result is unprecedented,” she said.

The report said targeted books reflect “anti-woke, anti-DEI and anti-LGBTQ+” agendas.

Among the most banned titles were A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, Sold by Patricia McCormick, Breathless by Jennifer Niven, Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.