A Houston high school was placed on lockdown Friday after students stormed out of their classrooms in protest of a new cell phone ban.
James Madison High School staff ordered the shelter-in-place as a precaution after physical altercations broke out on campus the day before news of the new policy was shared.
“The school is currently on lockdown due to concern over recent fights that have occurred on campus,” Principal Edgar Contreras told parents in a message obtained by Houston Chronicle.
“As you know, we communicated yesterday that, beginning on Monday, students will not be allowed to use their cell phones – at any time – while they are inside the school building. Cell phones have been at the center of fights that have broken out at our school,” he continued.
The high school students had been in an uproar since the school announced the new rules, which would require them to turn off their devices and leave them at the front desk at the start of the school day.
The teenagers could only pick up their phones at the end of the school day, or in the case of an emergency.
In a display of protest, large groups of students walked out of their classes.
Many claimed the new policy was a violation of their Fourth Amendment rights that amounted to “unreasonable search and seizure.”
Others argued the faculty was punishing the entire student body for the actions of a few students who abused the few phone privileges they had previously been allowed.
“We have responsibilities. Our moms might need to reach us. We need our phones,” student Stephanie Martinez told the Houston Chronicle.
“We’re cool staying off our phones in class, but they shouldn’t just take them from us.”
Houston Independent School District police had monitored the protest in case it escalated, as it had the day prior.
The HISD did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
James Madison implemented the strict policy in an effort to reduce distractions inside the classroom, according to Contreras.
The school had labeled itself a “cell phone-free zone” at the start of the academic year, stating students would only be permitted to use their devices if allowed by a teacher.
Offenders would first be issued a warning, but a second offense would result in confiscation and a $15 administrative fee, according to a flier released earlier this year.
Schools across the nation have been grappling with cell phones in classrooms, with some turning toward innovative solutions to deter distractions.
A North Carolina High School last month took down the mirrors in all its bathrooms to stop students from filming TikToks.
The school has reportedly already seen a decrease in the amount of time their kids are spending in the restrooms.
