MCFARLAND, Wis. -- An address to the nation's students by President Barack Obama that has drawn opposition from some parents was shown in some area schools Tuesday.

The McFarland School District and many others gave teachers the choice whether to show the speech, and one McFarland High School class found it was a fitting start to what's sure to be an interesting year.

In Audrey Damon-Wynne's political science class at McFarland High School, a little controversy is never without a "teachable moment." So, after discussing the reasons behind the controversy, the class watched the president's address.

"At the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, the best schools in the world and none of it will make a difference; none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities," Obama said in the speech.

After listening to the president's address, the students shared their thoughts.

"It's kind of like do what you can do, and do your best at it, but it's OK if you don't start if you're a varsity player. If you don't (succeed), try again," said Mike Loney, a junior.

"What I kind of want to know is why is the president doing this? It's the job of the parent to be motivating your child," one student said.

"I don't think anyone is going to be like afraid that he's saying that education is important and stuff, like they're not going to go home to their parents all worried," said another student.

"I don't think your parents would be mad necessarily if you were getting the same information from somebody else," another student said.

"I don't think he should tell us that we have to do it for our country. I think it's our choice what we do for our country," said another student.

The discussion might not have given a clear answer to the role of government in school, but the teacher said it gave a good start to a year of discussion.

"I'll definitely remember the controversy surrounding it. I didn't think it would be as neutral and as much of a pep talk as it was," said Mikey Juszczyk, a junior.

Damon-Wynne said she was pleased her students voiced their opinions.

"That's the beauty of our country. We get to talk about these things; we get to disagree; we get to argue, and we also get to have our own opinions," Damon-Wynne said. "It was neat because it was about them, it was a political controversy about them, and they don't often understand how politics and government is about them."

Other districts also gave teachers the option of whether to show the speech.

Middleton's alternative high school showed it to all students, while some Mount Horeb teachers said they planned to tape it and show it at a later date.

The media was not allowed in schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District for Tuesday's speech.

"The Madison School District has declined offers of news outlets to cover classrooms during President Obama's education address (Tuesday) so as not to interject students or teachers through the media coverage into an issue that has become politicized through coverage to date," said district said in statement.