A suburban Indianapolis school board has hired a law firm to fight a parent lawsuit aimed at forcing the district to restore free school bus service.

The Franklin Township board voted 3-2 Monday night to defend the action that has prompted protests over fees of at least $40 a month per child for bus service. Some parents told the board it was a mistake to spend more money fighting the decision in court, WISH-TV and WRTV reported.

Officials in the 9,000-student district say eliminating free bus service was necessary to help close an $8 million budget shortfall.

The state attorney general has said he believes the district acted unconstitutionally by contracting with the bus agency and then imposed the arrangement on parents.