Public elementary students in Windsor-Essex had the day off school, but the board says attendance by teachers was above the typical average for any day in January.

Director of education at the Greater Essex County District School Board Warren Kennedy says there were no problems getting teachers to work.

“Those that should have reported did report," says Kennedy.

He defended the board’s decision to cancel classes before the Ontario Labour Relations Board's ruling at 4 a.m. Friday morning.

“We just didn't want to compromise safety," says Kennedy. “I think it worked out for parents so they could be organized and for us to change our minds this morning would have added to the confusion. I think people would have been really scrambling.”

Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Dwight Duncan doesn't support the public school board’s call to keep students out of class. He applauds the OLRB’s decision that protesting during school hours is in fact illegal.

“They just decided to play Russian roulette with families across the province and that's very regrettable," says Duncan. “We'll get through this and the day will come when we can get back to good growth and wages and benefits and to a better place but again today in my view was unfortunate here in Windsor. I know in the GTA most of the boards were open."

The president of the Greater Essex Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario Adelina Cecchin was not as optimistic.

“I am disappointed with the Ontario Labour Relations Board ruling and I know our members are upset,” says Cecchin.

The union has planned a protest outside the election meetings for the Windsor West and Windsor-Tecumseh riding associations at the Caboto Club in Windsor on Sunday.

“We are reviewing how we can move forward in terms of what the government has done,” says Cecchin.

Duncan says so long as it's not on the students time.

“That's fine,” he says. "Good for them. They can go ahead and protest all they want. That's great. Good for them. Just leave the kids out of it."

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation will not be protesting on Wednesday. It has been canceled and classes will go on as normal.