A Houston high school was placed on lockdown Friday after students stormed out of their classrooms to protest a new cell phone ban.
James Madison High School staff ordered a shelter in place as a precaution after a physical altercation broke out on campus a day before news of the new policy was shared.
“The school is now closed due to concerns about the recent fight that occurred on campus,” Principal Edgar Contreras told parents in a message obtained by the Houston Chronicle.
“As you know, we informed yesterday that, starting Monday, students will not be allowed to use their cell phones – at any time – while they are inside the school building. Mobile phones have become the center of fights that break out in our school,” he continued.
High school students have been in an uproar since the school announced a new rule, requiring them to turn off their devices and leave them at the front desk at the start of the school day.
The teenager can only pick up their phone at the end of the school day, or in case of an emergency.
In a show of protest, large groups of students walked out of their classes.
James Madison High School staff ordered a shelter in place as a precaution after a physical altercation broke out on campus a day before news of the new policy was shared. KHOU 11/YouTube
Many claim the new policy violates their Fourth Amendment rights amounting to “unreasonable searches and seizures.”
Others argued the faculty was punishing the entire student body for the actions of a few students who abused some previously allowed phone privileges.
“We have a responsibility. Our mother may need to contact us. We need our phones,” student Stephanie Martinez told the Houston Chronicle.
“We don’t want to use phones in class, but they shouldn’t take them away from us.”
Houston Independent School District police have been monitoring the protest in case it escalates, as it did the day before.
HISD did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
James Madison implemented the strict policy in an effort to reduce disruptions in the classroom, according to Contreras.
Houston Independent School District police have been monitoring the protest in case it escalates, as it did the day before. KHOU 11/YouTube
The school had labeled itself a “mobile phone-free zone” at the start of the academic year, stating students would only be allowed to use their devices if given permission by teachers.
First offenders will be warned, but a second offense will result in forfeiture and a $15 administrative fee, according to a flyer issued earlier this year.
Schools across the country have struggled with cell phones in the classroom, with some turning to innovative solutions to prevent distractions.
Some argue that the faculty is punishing the entire student body for the actions of a few students who abused some of the phone privileges previously allowed. KHOU 11/YouTube
A North Carolina High School last month lowered the mirrors in all of its bathrooms to prevent students from recording TikToks.
The school has reportedly seen a decrease in the amount of time their children spend on the toilet.
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