SALEM, Ore. -- Roughly 200 students from Douglas McKay High School in Salem walked out of class at 2:30 Friday afternoon.
They were protesting school shootings and pushing for tougher gun laws.
Jesse Garcia, a senior at McKay, said she and other students are scared to go to school. She said that fear isn’t conducive to a good learning environment.
Abigail Farren organized the walkout. She is a sophomore. Farren said she's not necessarily in support of taking people's guns, but she said something needs to change. She suggested maybe putting metal detectors in schools to deter would-be shooters.
“I want schools to feel safer, people to feel safe going to school and getting an education. All I want is something, just something to happen positively,” said Farren.
A national walkout protesting gun violence is planned for March 14.
It's expected to take place at 10 a.m. and last for 17 minutes, in honor of the 17 lives lost in the Florida school shooting.