Parents of a former Rankin County student are suing the school district after a substitute teacher allegedly made a racially charged comment toward their black son.

Filed this week in federal court in Jackson, the since-graduated student’s parents, Tony and Kayla Lindsey, allege the teacher told a white student to let the Lindseys’ son hit him “so that they could hang him.” The incident started when the Lindseys’ son threatened to hit the white student.

District lawyer Fred Harrell told WREG-TV in Memphis the suit is “meritless” and the Rankin County School District intends to fight it.

Read more: Parents sue over Mississippi teacher’s ‘hang him’ comment to black student | WREG.com