Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is calling for school leaders nationwide to take stronger steps in limiting student phone use during the school day. He said devices are fueling an epidemic of distraction and are harming both emotional health and academic outcomes.
Kennedy spoke about the issue during a Fox & Friends interview where he outlined how schools that have removed phones have seen measurable improvements. He also mentioned a recent visit to a Virginia school with Gov. Glenn Youngkin, where he observed a more productive learning environment free of phone-related interruptions.
BREAKING: RFK Jr. has announced that he is working with states to REMOVE cellphones from school.
“Cell phone use and social media use on the cell phone has been directly connected with depression, poor performance in schools, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse.”
He is… pic.twitter.com/9LzBS4L909
— Dr. Simone Gold (@drsimonegold) March 21, 2025
Kennedy referenced research showing a connection between student phone use and increased depression, declining grades and other serious behavioral challenges. He said phone bans are already proving effective in the states that have adopted them.
So far, nine states have taken action, including South Carolina, Minnesota and Louisiana. Each has passed school phone restrictions at the state level, signaling growing bipartisan support for the policy shift.
Surveys show most Americans are on board. Talker Research found that 70% of adults support banning phones in schools, with nearly 8 in 10 citing education concerns as their top reason. Meanwhile, 58% of those who opposed bans said they still want to be able to reach their children at any time.
Kennedy did make controversial claims about electromagnetic radiation from phones possibly causing neurological damage or cancer. Those statements were challenged by “experts,” and the National Institutes of Health has said phone use does not increase the risk of brain cancer.
Despite criticism, Kennedy emphasized that educators and parents are seeing the benefits of a phone-free environment. A Pew Research Center poll showed 68% of Americans agree with limiting phones during class, and over one-third support removing phones for the full day.
