In 2004, The Day After Tomorrow, a movie depicting a winter storm that turned into the start of a new ice age hit theaters. 10 years later, much of the country is experiencing the coldest winter in 15 years. With freezing temperatures dominating national headlines, the media is hyping this winter storm to appear as a near Day After Tomorrow disaster.

In North Alabama, many regional schools cancelled Monday’s day of school on Friday, due to weather predictions that Monday’s high would only reach a temperature in the low teens. Many people believe that this was a premature call resulting in more makeup days for students.

“They were making the call in 50 degree weather when they had no clue what the weather would actually do,” senior Lauren Rody comments.

While taking a cautious stance, Madison City School’s Superintendent Dee Fowler published the system’s preventive measures for the cold on the school system’s Facebook page. In his post on Facebook, Dee Fowler ensured that he would try to make a decision that would be “what is best for student safety, what is best for staff safety, what creates the least amount of confusion, and what is best of the entire community.”

The final decision to delay school was made Sunday evening, the night before school started back. “People here don’t know how to drive on icy roads,” student Harley Aldridge commented, agreeing with the Superintendent’s decision to delay school.

Some students believe that this decision was not enough and that Madison City Schools should have taken the whole day off. “It’s the liability [of the school system], and they shouldn’t make the same mistake twice,” Nkechi Nnorom explains, citing last year’s infamous release of students during bad weather.

Bob Jones students from the north seemed puzzled by the “over-reaction” of the community. “It’s cold, but it’s not dangerous,” Leah Plume explained.