ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A group of parents is suing the Orange County School Board. They're upset that the school board pushed voters for a half-cent sales tax to renovate schools, but have fallen short on their promises.

Many parents say the school board is now starting to fight back against them.

The group suing the Orange County School District over its half-cent sales tax referendum to renovate schools says the legal fight is getting personal. They point to a list of questions from the school district's attorney that includes the question, “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?”

“What does that have to do with what's going on? Are they trying to get me to back off?” parent Richard Bolam asked.

Richard Bolam and his group said they sued to stop a district plan to close some small schools that were supposed to be renovated with money from a half-cent sales tax. Now the group wonders why it’s being asked where their kids go to school or even if they've ever lobbied the school district on any subject.

The group says it's not backing off its request for a binding promise that the schools they supported to renovate in 2002 won't be considered for closure again.

“To me those are shameful tactics by the legal firm and the school board to intimidate these parents,” plaintiff Dick Batchelor said.

The school district's attorney calls the questions standard. He also said he doesn't bully people in litigation.

The questions range from simple information like names and addresses to detailed questions about information supporting the grounds for the lawsuit.

“Just some questions I feel are off the wall,” Bolam said.

The school board said that it does not comment on pending litigation. The school district has hired an outside attorney to handle the lawsuit, because the district's regular attorney advised them on the school closures. So, Frank Kruppenbacher may have to testify in the lawsuit.