North Kansas City (Mo.) district says students may not use phones in class

The North Kansas City (Mo.) district is prohibiting student cell phone use while classes are in session. 

The district has announced that from 7:43 a.m. to 2:40 p.m., students will not be allowed to use their cell phones during class time, reports KCTV-TV.

Students may use their phones before or after school, during a passing period or during lunch, officials said.

The district said: "Our goal is to create a warm, welcoming, safe, academically focused environment for students. Student cell phone use at school identified as a tremendous distraction to meeting that goal. And, with the deployment of district issued MacBooks, cell phones are unnecessary for academics throughout the school day."