LEE COUNTY, Fla. — A Fort Myers High School teacher is being investigated for stealing money raised by drama students.
The teacher, Laura Licata, headed District 6 of the Florida Thespians group, which includes 30 schools and 700 students in the district from Bradenton to Marco Island.
It's so serious that the state organization dissolved the district that the students first participate in before moving on to the state competition.
This doesn't mean they still can't participate in upcoming events. But they will now have to travel to other districts around the state.
Students call that disappointing and feel like the Florida thespians are closing the curtain on students in District 6.
Students at Cypress Lake High School are continuing to practice although their future is uncertain because their district was dissolved.
“We found out in class, and all of our faces just dropped. We were devastated,” explained JJ Fuentes.
Licata has been removed from the classroom.
“It's one person, and now we're all getting crapped on for it,” expressed Carlos Robbins, one of the students affected.
He is referring to 700 drama students in 30 private and public schools, which make up District 6 in Southwest Florida.
“We've been preparing these pieces for months and months now,” noted Abbey Corcoran.
The Executive Director for the International Thespian Society, Julie Cohen, said every student will still have an opportunity to participate at the district level.
“They'll have to travel to a different location. For some students, it actually will be close to their home school. For some it may be a little further,” Cohen said.
Gwynetta Gittens, chair of the Lee County School Board, said that is a concern.
“And to think that would be taken away from them… we just can't have that,” Gittens said.
The students, though, refuse to give up.
“At the end of the day, I think we just need to be hopeful and look forward,” said Ricardo Bocanegra.
The school district confirmed it is investigating Licata's management of the checkbook.
Sources close to the investigation said that nearly $40,000 is missing from the District 6 account.
The school district says it will turn over the investigation to the Department of Education and law enforcement.