targeting what can be taught, discussed, or accessed in schools, libraries, and online platforms. Here are some notable examples and patterns:
1. Educational Gag Orders and Classroom Restrictions
Between 2021 and 2024, 23 states—the majority controlled by Republican legislatures—passed at least 47 “educational gag orders” that restrict teachers and professors from discussing certain topics related to race, gender, sexuality, U.S. history, and “divisive concepts.” In 2024 alone, 8 new such laws were passed, affecting both K-12 and higher education. These laws:
• Ban instruction or discussion of critical race theory (CRT)
• Prohibit classroom materials referencing the 1619 Project
• Penalize teachers for addressing “divisive” issues, sometimes with threats of lawsuits or termination
• Place new restrictions on faculty tenure and university governance to stifle academic freedom
Example states: Texas, Florida, Iowa, Utah, Missouri, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wyoming
2. Book Ban Laws
A surge in book bans stems directly from new state laws that define and prohibit “sexually explicit,” “harmful,” or “age-inappropriate” material in school libraries and classrooms. These laws typically:
• Mandate the immediate removal of challenged books
• Establish criminal penalties for librarians or teachers who provide banned materials (e.g., the Arkansas law signed in 2023)
• Require public posting of library inventories and create formal complaint processes for parents and community members
Notably:
• Texas and Florida led the nation with the highest number of banned or removed books, in large part due to these new laws.
• Missouri and Utah laws in 2023-24 required books to be pulled pending review and made it easier for a small group of individuals to trigger bans statewide
3. Social Media and Online Censorship Laws
Florida and Texas both enacted laws that restrict social media companies’ ability to moderate or “censor” content:
• These laws require platforms to offer detailed individual explanations for content removals, prohibit “shadow banning,” and prevent de-platforming political candidates.
• Courts have blocked implementation for now, but the laws still represent a major effort to limit the editorial freedom of private tech companies to curate content.
4. Ban and Defunding of DEI and Related Programs in Higher Education