"Why are Black students and Black families not taken seriously when they report something?" said Michael Childress with NAACP DuPage County.
The lawsuit alleges Ward's 13-year-old daughter, Autumn, who spoke with ABC7 earlier this month, was given a bag of cotton by a teacher to take home following a history lesson slavery.
In its lawsuit, the family says the teacher "did not give cotton to any non-Black student to take home."
"Asking that child and other children to pick or clean the cotton and to take it home, but hope that their parent won't think that they're racist," said TiShaunda McPherson, the family's attorney.
Representatives from the NAACP and Rainbow PUSH Coalition attended the meeting, telling school board members they plan to file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice.
"There must be an investigation of this school district," a Rainbow RUSH representative said.
At the meeting, the school board did not address the lawsuit the district referring ABC7 to its statement earlier this month that said, "The district disputes the allegations that are made in this lawsuit... and intends to defend itself and its employees against these claims," adding that the district is "committed to providing an educational environment... that is equitable, positive, safe, and free of discrimination."
But at the meeting Tuesday night, families of three other Oak Park students also alleged a pattern of discrimination and bullying.
"Nobody cares. Nobody cares until it gets to a point where there's no point of return. And that's all I've got to say. We've got to do better," said parent Seneca Johnson.
The district, which does not comment on pending litigation, also has not said whether or not it has taken action regarding the teacher involved in that history lesson.