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Education &
Student Rights.

22,810 book bans since 2021. DEI programs eliminated in 30+ states. School vouchers diverting billions from public schools. And federal education funding impounded, then released — then threatened again. Know what’s happening to education in America. Know your rights inside the school that’s supposed to educate you.

22,810
Book bans documented in US public schools since 2021 (PEN America)
30+
States with anti-DEI legislation introduced or passed since 2021
$5B
Florida school voucher cost in FY2025-26, diverting funds from public schools
590
Books removed from Dept. of Defense schools by Trump admin, July 2025
What’s Happening to Education Right Now
Five interconnected fights happening simultaneously in classrooms, libraries, and state legislatures across the country.
Issue 01 — Libraries & Classrooms
Book Bans
22,810 documented bans since 2021 — a number PEN America says has never existed in the lifetime of any living American. Books about race, LGBTQ+ identity, and history are the primary targets. It is now normalized.
FL: 2,304 bans in 2024-25TX: 1,781TN: 1,622
45 states affected451 school districts
Issue 02 — Higher Education
DEI Rollbacks
Florida led the way. Now 30+ states have followed with legislation eliminating diversity programs, banning DEI offices, removing courses from general education curricula, and defunding multicultural student services.
30+ statesFL SB 266: statewide funding ban
FLTXTNNCGAUTALAK
Issue 03 — Public School Funding
School Vouchers
Florida made vouchers universal in 2023 — any student, any income, can take a voucher to a private school. The federal Big Beautiful Bill added a national voucher tax credit with no cap. Public school budgets are being directly drained.
$5B FL voucher cost FY25-26Universal — no income cap
Issue 04 — What’s Taught
Curriculum Control
20+ states have passed laws restricting what can be taught about race and gender since 2021. States are mandating specific content — and banning other content — creating a curriculum that varies dramatically depending on your zip code.
20+ states with restrictionsFederal funding threatened for non-compliance
Issue 05 — Federal Level
Federal Education Funding: Impounded, Threatened, Eliminated
The Trump administration impounded $6.9 billion in education funding in 2025 — for migrant education, English language programs, student support, and adult literacy. The funds were eventually released, but the 2026 federal budget proposes eliminating them permanently. The Department of Education itself is targeted for dismantlement.
$6.9B impounded in 2025590 DoD school books removedReleased — but permanently cut in 2026 budgetDept. of Education: elimination proposed
Sources: PEN America Index of School Book Bans 2024-2025 (October 2025) · PEN America Banned in the USA: Normalization of Book Banning · NEA Book Bans report 2025 · World Population Review Banned Books by State 2026 · Wikipedia Book Banning in the United States 2021-present · Florida Policy Institute Education Budget Analysis 2025-26 · WUSF Florida SB 1134 March 2026 · Florida Phoenix DEI lawsuit September 2025 · Florida FY2025-26 Budget Summary · Goss v. Lopez 419 U.S. 565 (1975) · Tinker v. Des Moines 393 U.S. 503 (1969) · New Jersey v. T.L.O. 469 U.S. 325 (1985) · Board of Education v. Pico 457 U.S. 853 (1982) · Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. 594 U.S. 180 (2021) · Riley v. California 573 U.S. 373 (2014). Updated March 30 2026.