Stephen King, whose tales of horror and suspense have captivated readers for decades, is now at the center of a very real and very American controversy: the battle over which books belong on school shelves. According to PEN America’s 2024-2025 "Banned in the USA" report, King is the most frequently censored author in U.S. schools, a distinction that reveals as much about the current cultural climate as it does about the enduring power of his storytelling.
The PEN America report, released on October 2, 2025, paints a stark picture of the state of intellectual freedom in American education. It tracked more than 6,800 instances of books being temporarily or permanently removed from school libraries and classrooms in the past school year—a decrease from the previous year’s record-breaking 10,000-plus removals, but still alarmingly high by historical standards. Just a few years ago, PEN America didn’t even see the need to compile such a report. Now, the organization describes a landscape in which book bans are both widespread and highly concentrated.
Roughly 80% of all book bans originated from just three states: Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. These states have enacted or attempted to enact laws requiring the removal of books considered "objectionable." In Florida alone, more than 2,000 books were banned or restricted in the last year, with King’s novels frequently swept up alongside works featuring LGBTQ+ themes, discussions of race, and depictions of sexual violence. According to the New York Post, King’s books were censored 206 times, with classics like Carrie and The Stand among the 87 works affected.
Meanwhile, states such as Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey have passed laws that limit the authority of schools and public libraries to remove books. As a result, these states reported little or no instances of book removals. But even in these so-called "safe havens" for literature, pressure from political groups or concerned parents can lead to what PEN America calls "obeying in advance"—preemptive removals designed to avoid controversy or legal consequences.
Kasey Meehan, director of PEN’s Freedom to Read program and co-author of the report, described the situation as "increasingly a story of two countries." She explained, "It’s not just a story of red states and blue states. In Florida, not all of the school districts responded to the calls for banning books. You can find differences from county to county." In other words, the fate of a book can hinge on local politics, community sentiment, or the cautious instincts of school administrators.
The reasons for removing books from school libraries are as varied as the communities themselves. According to PEN America, the most common justifications include the presence of LGBTQ+ themes, depictions of race and racism, violence, and sexual violence. King’s books, while often associated with horror, are frequently caught in the crossfire when districts target "adult" or "sex content" for removal. Meehan noted, "His books are often removed from shelves when ‘adult’ titles or books with ‘sex content’ are targeted for removal—these prohibitions overwhelmingly ban LGBTQ+ content and books on race, racism, and people of color—but also affect titles like Stephen King’s books."
This broad-brush approach to censorship has led to what Meehan calls "overreach." "Some districts—in being overly cautious or fearful of punishment—will sweep so wide they end up removing Stephen King from access, too," she said. The result is that King, celebrated around the globe for his imaginative storytelling, is repeatedly deemed unsuitable for young readers in his own country.
King himself has responded to the news by encouraging fans to pick up some of his banned novels. The author, who is known for his outspoken views (particularly his opposition to former President Donald Trump), has become a symbol of the current struggle over what young people are allowed to read. His frequent censorship highlights the fragility of intellectual freedom in American schools and the broader cultural conflicts that underlie the book-banning movement.
King is not alone in facing removal. Other frequently banned books include Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange—the most banned single work this year with 23 removals—Patricia McCormick’s Sold, Judy Blume’s Forever, and Jennifer Niven’s Breathless. Works by Sarah J. Maas and Jodi Picoult also made frequent appearances on banned lists. The reasons for these bans often overlap: books that address sexuality, violence, or race are especially vulnerable to removal in the current climate.
While PEN America’s numbers are alarming, some critics argue that they may be inflated. The organization counts any book that is temporarily or permanently removed or restricted, while the American Library Association (ALA) only includes permanent removals in its annual reports. This difference in methodology has led to debate over the true scope of the crisis. Both organizations acknowledge that their data is incomplete, relying as it does on media reports and information provided directly by schools. For some states, such as Ohio, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, researchers could not find adequate documentation, leaving significant gaps in the national picture.
The federal government’s involvement has further complicated matters. The Department of Education, under the Biden administration, had launched an initiative to investigate the legality of book bans, but this effort was ultimately ended. Critics dismissed the initiative as a "hoax." Meanwhile, the Department of Defense has removed hundreds of books from K-12 libraries serving military families, citing concerns over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and "un-American" content.
Stephana Ferrell, director of research and insight at the Florida Freedom to Read Project, believes the true number of bans is likely much higher than PEN’s snapshot suggests. "Total bans are likely much higher," she wrote, referencing ongoing public records requests that have uncovered additional removals not captured in the initial analysis.
Beyond the statistics, the debate over book bans touches on fundamental questions about education, democracy, and the role of schools in fostering critical thinking. Supporters of book removal argue that parents and communities should have a say in what children are exposed to, especially when it comes to sensitive or controversial material. Opponents warn that such actions undermine intellectual freedom and deprive students of the opportunity to engage with challenging ideas.
In the end, the story of Stephen King’s frequent censorship is about much more than horror fiction. It’s about the boundaries of education, the power of fear, and the ongoing struggle over who gets to decide what young people read. As the nation’s schools become battlegrounds for competing visions of America, every book removed from a shelf is a reminder that the fight over ideas is far from over.
