A Colorado teacher’s termination is drawing national attention after an investigation concluded that classroom activities involving student role-playing crossed professional boundaries and left some students feeling pressured, uncomfortable, and, in some cases, emotionally distressed.
The controversy centers on Jennifer Honka, a former French language and culture teacher at Northeast Early College in Denver. After a lengthy investigation and an independent review, the Denver Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously in May to fire Honka for what officials described as incompetence and neglect of duty.
The allegations are difficult to ignore.
According to a report obtained by CBS Colorado, several students told investigators they were asked to participate in classroom skits that involved kissing classmates. Some students reportedly felt they had little choice because the performances were graded assignments.
One student’s account became a focal point of the investigation.
According to the review, the student confided in a chemistry teacher after participating in one of the skits. She reportedly felt uncomfortable but went through with kissing another student because she believed that was what the assignment required. The incident apparently became well-known among students, with a meme circulating around the school featuring a photograph of Honka and the caption, “she makes girls kiss.”
What happened afterward was perhaps even more concerning.
Investigators found that the student’s attendance dropped significantly following the incident, suggesting the experience had a lasting impact.
And she wasn’t alone.
Another student testified that girls were routinely selected to participate in the skits despite the class being split almost evenly between male and female students. According to the report, the student could not remember a single instance in which a boy was chosen for those roles.
When she refused to participate, she said she received a zero on the assignment.
Yet another student reportedly walked out of class entirely.
Teachers at the school also began noticing a pattern. One English teacher testified that multiple students approached her with concerns. According to the review, one student appeared visibly upset and defeated while describing a situation in which she had been asked to kiss three different girls during a classroom exercise.
The skits themselves carried titles such as The Neighbors Saw Everything and The Boring Kiss, the latter reportedly involving characters who were dating.
What made the situation more complicated was the classroom environment described by students.
One student told investigators that Honka often promoted a rule that “the answer is always yes,” encouraging participation in the biweekly skits that counted toward grades. Critics argued that such an approach could make students feel unable to decline activities they found uncomfortable.
Honka reportedly disclosed to students that she was a lesbian and an LGBTQ supporter, though the investigation did not center on her sexual orientation. Instead, it focused on whether students were placed in situations involving personal boundaries and consent that were inappropriate in a classroom setting.
Honka defended her actions during the investigation.
According to testimony cited in the report, she maintained that students were never forced to kiss anyone and that alternatives such as blowing a kiss or exchanging fist bumps were available. At least one student confirmed that alternatives were sometimes offered.
Still, investigators concluded that the issue went beyond whether students were physically compelled to participate.
The review also examined Honka’s practice of sharing deeply personal details with students, including discussions about fertility struggles, suicidal thoughts, and childhood abuse. While Honka argued that those disclosures were intended to build trust, investigators questioned whether such conversations were appropriate given the age of the students involved.
Ultimately, Denver Public Schools determined that the cumulative effect of the conduct failed to serve students’ best interests.
“The safety, emotional well-being, and dignity of our students are the absolute highest priorities of Denver Public Schools,” district spokesman Scott Pribble said in a statement.
He noted that the district’s investigation, along with findings from an independent administrative law judge, led the school board to unanimously support termination.
The district also praised the students who came forward and the staff members who reported concerns through proper channels.
As of this week, Honka appears to be listed as an English language development teacher at Malley Drive Elementary School in Northglenn, Colorado. Requests for comment from Honka and school officials were not immediately returned.
