PORTLAND, Ore. -- Students across the Portland metropolitan area walked out of school Friday morning, joining other students throughout the country in a National Student Walkout Day.
The walkouts recognize the 19th anniversary of the mass shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado. The tragedy at Columbine killed 13 students.
Students across the country are continuing their call for gun control and safer schools and communities.
Many Oregon students headed to Salem to protest at the Capitol.
At David Douglas High School, students walked out of class at 9:07 a.m. They made their way to downtown Portland via vehicles and public transportation in order to join other students from more centrally located schools.
Students gathered at Pioneer Courthouse Square and eventually marched to city hall.
Portland Public Schools put out a letter saying that while it supports students in actions calling for safer schools, it cannot sanction off-campus walkouts. The letter states that students will be given unexcused absences if they leave their campuses.
Friday’s student-led demonstration is the third such event this year since the school shooting that killed 17 people in Parkland, Florida.