BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. -- It's become one of President Obama's most controversial decisions and it wasn't war or health care, it was speaking to Central Florida's students.

For at least a week, school districts went back and forth on how they'd show the President's speech, live, taped or not at all, and what they would say to the hundreds of parents weighing in with their own opinions.

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THE SPEECH: Watch It | Read It

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In Brevard County, most students saw the speech unless you brought a note from home. Some were left wondering what all the fuss was about.

The President posted verbatim the roughly 16-minute speech on the White House website. For the most part Tuesday, he followed the script. Many parents and students told Eyewitness News the speech didn't live up to the controversy.

"I want to ask all of you what's your contribution going to be?" President Obama asked during the speech.

After days of controversy, President Obama spoke directly to American classrooms. His 16-minute speech seemed awfully tame to an Edgewood Junior-Senior High School class on Merritt Island.

"It was usually what my parents tell me on the first day. Stay in school keep your grades up," student Kelly Bourne said.

President Obama didn't make any remarks about the controversy surrounding his speech. Some groups called for boycotts, saying Obama was using the classroom to promote a political agenda.

While Obama talked about fighting poverty, crime, homelessness and discrimination, he made no specific references to the heated healthcare debate.

"It was a success speech, trying to relate his experience to us," student Kyle Mack said.

In Brevard County and elsewhere, listening to the president's speech was optional. Nine students out of 950 opted out at Edgewood Junior-Senior High.

In Lake County, a mom did more than opt out. She decided to pull her 8-year-old out in protest. Lake County recorded the president's speech. Teachers will show it beginning Wednesday with parental consent.

"I didn't agree that it was forced on kids and parents didn't have a say. It wasn't something I was sent home a note on," said parent Elizabeth Gandy, Grassy Lake Elementary.

Neither Gandy's son nor any other child will be forced to watch Obama's speech.

"That's what's great about our country, that we have choices," Edgewood Junior-Senior High School Principal Kenneth Winn said.

Eyewitness News did check attendance Tuesday. There were actually more students in class this Tuesday than last.