It's a struggle educators everywhere are facing: managing cell phones in the classroom. That includes teachers at a Lowell, Massachusetts, school.
Lowell High School is implementing a strict new policy on Monday that's prompting some discussion.
All Lowell High School students will part ways with their cell phones at the beginning of each class and they won't see them again until it's over.
This new plan is a desperate measure to combat a desperate issue: lack of focus and attention, according to teachers who said for the past few years, phones have been a distraction to learning and engagement.
The plan calls for educators to collect the phones during each period and put them away in a portable box. However, the policy is already causing division.
Some parents and students can understand the measure, but others are frustrated. An online petition has already been created that has more than 1,200 signatures.
"Sometimes we need to take them out of school and many of the times it hasn't been possible and if they take away their phones, that's where the dilemma comes," said Roberto Pongillo, parent.
If there's an emergency, such as a fire alert, the school said the teachers are responsible for getting the phones out.
Students will have their phones during each class transition along with their lunch period.
This new policy goes into effect Monday, but the Lowell school district said in a letter to parents that the "policy will be reviewed at the end of the school year to see if any changes need to be made. But we would like everyone to give it a fair chance before condemning it."
