SOUTH BEND — Hundreds of students got a three-day weekend, but not everyone got the day off. Students in South Bend still had school, despite the weather. Some parents kept their students out of school anyway, because they didn't think it was safe.

Parents picking up students at James Madison School were upset they had to be there in the first place.

“It's too cold and the roads are way too bad for this,” said April Cleveland, who has to drive her children to school.

“A lot of schools have a two-hour delay and I think that would have been more appropriate for us to have,” said Jennifer Hilleary, who was picking up two of her children.

Others drove their students across town, rather than put them on school buses.

“I didn't want my kids on the bus,“ said Mike Clark, whose children are usually bused from the southern part of town. “I feel safer with them in the car with me, than on a bus.”

School Board Trustee Dawn Jones heard from upset parents all day.

She told WSBT News at the time the superintendent made the decision — around 4 a.m. — the roads weren't that bad.

“The roads, even though they were treacherous, as always, they didn't prevent the school buses from rolling,” Jones said. “The school buses were out there and they were on time.”

South Bend schools have traditionally been reluctant to close for a number of reasons.

“It provides supervision for children during the day. It provides breakfast, it provides lunch,” Jones said. “That was something that was emphasized when Dr. Calvin [was superintendent] and that's just a tradition that we do.”

But many parents remain unconvinced.

“It really didn't make sense. They could have made up a day in the summer,” Mike Clark said. “This could have been avoided.”

South Bend Schools Superintendent Robert Zimmerman could not be reached for comment about his decision to keep schools open.