Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is making student well-being and academic performance a national priority by urging school leaders to rethink how phones are used — or not used — during the school day. During a recent appearance on Fox & Friends, Kennedy highlighted the damage cell phones are doing inside classrooms and called attention to states that are already seeing benefits from removing the devices altogether.

Kennedy described visiting a Virginia school with Gov. Glenn Youngkin where students no longer have access to their phones during class. According to him, the results have been clear: improved focus, stronger learning environments and more engaged teachers.

Across the country, nine states have introduced school-wide restrictions on phones, including Florida, Arkansas, Indiana and South Carolina. While the rules differ from state to state, each effort reflects growing concern about how screen time is interfering with education and mental health.

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

A recent national survey by Talker Research found that 70% of Americans support removing phones from schools. Of those in favor, 78% said they were motivated by the impact phones have on academic performance. Parents who opposed restrictions most often cited the desire to be able to reach their children throughout the day.

Kennedy also pointed to scientific findings connecting cell phone and social media use to increased levels of anxiety, substance use and even suicidal thoughts in young people. While his additional comments about health risks from phone radiation drew criticism, his central point — that phones are undermining students’ health and concentration — is widely shared among educators.

Agencies under Kennedy’s own department, including the National Institutes of Health, have stated that current research does not link cell phone radiation to cancer. Even so, Kennedy continues to advocate for a return to learning environments where students are not glued to their screens.

According to Pew Research Center, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults believe phones should not be used during class, and over a third believe they should be off-limits for the entire school day.