title: Excel VBA clear data function protects cell not previously not protected
body: <p>When I first open my workbook I call this function to protect specific cell ranges and cells from the user:</p>
  
  <pre><code>' Sets protection on sheet
  Public Sub LockCells_TXN_CLIENT_ORDER_ENTRY()
    ActiveSheet.Unprotect Password:="abc"
    ActiveSheet.Cells.Locked = False
    ' Lock some cells here
    ActiveSheet.Protect Password:="abc"
  End Sub
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, upon calling the following Subrouting to clear data from a range of rows:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Private Sub ClearData_Click()
    ' Declare some variables
  
    For currentRow = ActiveSheet.Range("STATUS_FIELDS").Row To totalRows
      ActiveSheet.Cells(currentRow, ActiveSheet.Range("STATUS_FIELDS").Column).Resize(1, 14).Clear
    Next currentRow
  End Sub
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Cells that were not specified to be protected now becomes protected and these cells are the exact same cells that the <code>ClearData_Click()</code> function affected.</p>
  
  <p>Could someone please explain to me why this happens and how to avoid this?</p>