Fact-check analysisVerified as of July 4, 2025Curated by FactVerify
True

Are diverse images and books being removed from classrooms in the US?

Diverse images and books, particularly those featuring characters of color and LGBTQ+ themes, are being removed or restricted in classrooms across various U.S. States as part of a broader wave of book bans and censorship efforts.

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The reporting

What the Evidence Shows

The claim that diverse images and books are being removed from classrooms in the U.S. Is supported by multiple credible sources. PEN America reports thousands of instances of book bans in public schools during the 2022–23 school year, many targeting graphic novels and illustrated works that include diverse characters and themes.pen.orgpen.orgBanned in the USA: The Mounting Pressure to Censorpen.orgpen.orgCover to Cover ABC News documents specific cases in Florida where schools have been directed to cover or remove books that have not been approved under laws restricting instruction on race and related topics.abcnews.go.comabcnews.go.comFlorida schools directed to cover or remove classroom books that …

The Conversation highlights that most U.S. Book bans disproportionately affect children's literature featuring diverse characters and authors of color, especially women of color.theconversation.comtheconversation.comMost US book bans target children’s literature featuring diverse Additional reports from Tulsa World, Omaha World-Herald, and Daily Press emphasize that picture books representing different families and identities are increasingly targeted for removal or censorship.omaha.comomaha.comBans on diverse picture books raise alarm for some families - Omaha World-Heraldberkshireeagle.comberkshireeagle.comLawmakers file a bill to prevent books from being removed from libraries and...

Furthermore, the Institute for Democracy in Education notes that censorship laws in the U.S. South have reduced access to books reflecting the experiences of Black students and other marginalized groups.idra.orgidra.orgClassroom Censorship Laws Sweep Across the U.S. South Legislative responses such as bills to prevent book removals indicate ongoing controversies around this issue.dailypress.comdailypress.comBans on diverse books? Young kids need to see their families represented,... Collectively, these sources confirm a widespread pattern of removing or restricting diverse books and images from classrooms across the United States.

Primary trail

Verified Sources9

Banned in the USA: The Mounting Pressure to Censor

pen.org
Open source

Florida schools directed to cover or remove classroom books that …

abcnews.go.com
Open source
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