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Stephen King and censorship: 87 books removed from US schools

Stephen King is the most banned horror writer in the United States according to Pen Club America

Stephen King and censorship: the famous horror author has become the most banned writer in the United States, with 87 books removed from school libraries in the last year alone, according to Pen Club America. King himself commented on social media: ‘Can I suggest you pick one up and see what they’re complaining about? Moralistic censors don’t always get what they want. This is still America, damn it.”

Pen Club America reports that King’s novels have been banned in 206 different cases in the 2024-2025 school year alone, with a particular concentration in Texas, Florida and Tennessee, states considered strongholds of the Republican right. The reasons for censorship relate to themes covered in the books: gender identity, sexuality, migration, violence and discrimination.

According to the free speech organisation, school administrators are often intimidated by political pressure and threats of funding cuts in a polarised cultural climate. The censorship of King is part of a broader context: last school year in the United States, there were 6,870 cases of book removals, down from 10,000 the previous year, but still well above pre-2022 levels.

Florida remains the most active state in censorship, with approximately 2,000 titles removed, in line with Governor Ron DeSantis’ policies. Despite King’s global success with novels such as The Shining, It and Carrie, the author remains a target for conservative movements, particularly for his critical stance towards Trumpism.

In a cultural climate where the word “woke” has become an insult, telling stories about outcasts, inner monsters or youth rebellion is considered subversive. Stephen King and censorship thus highlights the growing clash between freedom of expression and ideological pressures in American schools.

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