Parents were out in full force Thursday for the Longwood school board meeting, just one day after the district was slapped with a $12 million lawsuit over a picture that was deemed racist by some parents.

The lawsuit was filed against the Longwood School District and teachers by the parents of four African American high school students who say their children were humiliated in a picture taken by a zoology teacher.

The picture was part of a slideshow from a field trip to the Bronx Zoo. It shows African American students next to a gorilla with the caption 'Monkey Do.'

MORE: Notice of claim filed against Longwood School District over alleged racist zoo photo

The federal lawsuit says the slideshow was presented by a teacher, who students say is Edward Heinrichs. The suit calls for the state to investigate the administration and fire or discipline those responsible.

"What was done to them was definitely wrong and inappropriate and should not be accepted by society period," says parent Butch Murray.

Attorney John Ray says the case is about defamation of character and of race.

Some people in the community say the whole thing has been blown out of proportion, saying the teacher has been there for 20 years and has used slideshows in the past.

The district says the photo was an unfortunate lapse of judgment. School officials say they can't comment on the teacher involved.