Virginia County's Book Bans Reflect Growing Censorship and Threaten Educational Freedom

A recent report by Virginia's Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission highlights significant concerns about book bans in Hanover County Public Schools. Between July 2020 and March 2025, the district removed numerous titles, including "Medical Discoveries: Medical Breakthroughs and the People Who Developed Them," and a book providing sexual health information for teenagers. Other titles such as "Encyclopedia of the Human Body," "The Way We Work," and "The Medical Advisor" were also eliminated from library shelves. The movement to restrict access to diverse and educational materials in Virginia's schools has gained momentum under Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin's administration. Advocates claim to defend parental rights, but critics argue that such actions amount to censorship and undermine educational freedom. According to JLARC, 63% of Virginia public schools did not remove any books, but one-third did, indicating a growing trend. Hanover County, located near Richmond, exemplifies this shift. Governed by a conservative majority and an appointed school board, the district accounted for 36% of all book removal actions in the state, totaling 125 titles over five years. This p...