I read it a few years ago. At the beginning I just wondered why we hadn't been assigned it in high school. Less than 100 pages in, that was pretty clear. Wouldn't want the kids reading that stuff. Not sure it was banned in the 50's and 60's, but it was too much for our tender little ears. Like 1984.
I was assigned 1984 at age 14, in 1984. I think it very much varied from school to school. I was also in an advanced reading class. I think they knew our particular parents wouldn't balk at anything they gave us to read. Those books sure as hell stayed with me.
I grew up in the 60's in a blue state and was also in advanced classes, but it was the height of the Cold War. Perhaps that was a factor. Animal Farm OK. 1984 not.
Also, there is more sexual content in 1984 (none in Animal Farm, IIRC), which could have been a deciding factor in the '60s, and likely would be again these days. We've re-entered a very prudish stage.
I don't really remember any sexual content, but that was 50+ years ago that I read it. I read it during the 1972 Republican Convention, and it seemed a spot on description of where Nixon was taking us. Orwell's sex would have seemed quaint in that era.
I remember there being sex in 1984, and it was more matter-of-fact than quaint, but I haven't read it since I was 14, so any such content would have stood out to me at that point. (Not that it was new to me, as I'd been reading Stephen King since age eight.)
I could read whatever I wanted to read, but my parents wouldn't take me to R-rated movies. So anytime there was a preview for a movie I couldn't see, if there was a book (there usually was), I read it. My parents were just pleased I liked reading. I read The Exorcist at 10. (Bad idea. Nightmares.)
Interesting. The times could be a factor for sure.