Book Bans Surge to Unprecedented Levels in 2022

The American Library Association reported a spike in censorship efforts, with 1,269 attempts to ban books and other resources in libraries and schools in 2022, nearly double the previous year. The majority of the challenged books were by or about L.G.B.T.Q. people or people of color. Book bans have become a proxy in a broader culture war over issues like L.G.B.T.Q. rights, gender identity, and racial inequality. The development is worrisome for educators and librarians, who have increasingly come under fire for the books in their collections.