Self-defense classes, police officers and metal detectors are what some area students would like to see at their high schools after a student was charged Friday with shooting the Weston High School principal to death.

While some students urged adults and administrators not to crack down on teens just because of one incident, many students who spoke with the State Journal want to feel safer at school.

"It's really scary," said Chelsey Walters, a freshman at Richland Center High School. "I think there should be metal detectors (at the schools)."

Walters said the shooting death of Principal John Klang hit students at Richland Center High School especially hard because their school is only about 20 miles southeast of the Weston school.

About 70 miles northwest of Madison, just outside of Cazenovia, the Weston school building houses preschool, elementary, middle and high school students.

Becca Wanless, also a freshman at Richland Center, said she wants school staff people to pay more attention to students.

"I think they should have people at the door watching you as you walk in," she said.

And if something ever does go wrong, Wanless said, she wants to be able to do more than go into the classroom and turn off the lights.

"We should start having self-defense classes in (physical) education," she said.

Adam Mootz, a senior at Necedah High School, said he thinks his school, about 90 miles northwest of Madison in Juneau County, is pretty safe.

However, "I think every school should have an on-duty police officer."

But Brae Landess, a senior at Hustisford High School in Dodge County, said adding metal detectors would be a "waste of money."

And students always have someone to talk to if they're worried about another student, said Abigail Baney, also a senior at Hustisford High School.

Jamie Wandry, a junior at Sauk Prairie High School, said although she feels pretty safe at school, she wants teachers and staffers to pay more attention and look out for students who need help.

"It makes you wonder if things are really that safe."