A Denver teacher was fired after students said a classroom skit pushed them into same-sex kissing on camera and for grades.
Quick Take
- Denver Public Schools voted unanimously to terminate Jennifer Honka after an investigation and a state administrative law judge review.[1]
- The judge said Honka did not literally force kissing, but her script pressured students to discuss consent for a sexualized act in public.[3]
- Students reported feeling uncomfortable, and one student reportedly received a zero after refusing to take part.[2][4]
- The case has turned into another fight over classroom limits, parent trust, and school accountability.[1][2]
What the District Found
Denver Public Schools voted 7-0 to fire French language teacher Jennifer Honka after a district probe and an independent review. The board acted in executive session and cited incompetence and neglect of duty. According to reporting on the case, the district said Honka had used classroom skits that included kissing scenarios, and students complained that the assignments made them feel pressured.[1][3]
Reports said the skits were part of class grading and were tied to short French exercises with titles such as “The Neighbors Saw Everything” and “The Boring Kiss.” One account said students were told the answer was always yes, which some students understood as pressure to go along. The district also said the students involved in the kissing scenarios were always the same sex, which intensified the concern for parents and school officials.[2][4]
Why the Judge Rejected Honka’s Defense
The core legal point was not whether Honka physically forced students to kiss. The judge’s written finding, as summarized in the reporting, said the script still pushed students to state their preferences and consent to a “very personal and sexualized activity” in front of classmates. That mattered because the teacher was in a position of authority, and students had to decide whether they could object without penalty.[1][3]
Honka said she offered alternatives such as blowing a kiss or fist bumps for students who were uncomfortable. The available reporting says at least one student said Honka would allow pretend kissing, but other students still said they felt uneasy or pressured. One student reportedly said she refused to participate and got a zero. The public record in the search results does not include the full transcript, so some details still come through secondhand.[2][3][4]
Why This Case Is Bigger Than One Classroom
This fight is about more than one French class. It shows how fast school lessons can cross into a culture war when adults lose sight of common sense. Parents expect schools to teach reading, writing, math, and real skills. They do not expect teachers to put children in awkward sexual situations and call it education. Even so, the available record is still an administrative case, not a criminal one.[1][2][3]
Jennifer Honka was unanimously fired by Denver Public Schools in May 2026 for incompetence and neglect of duty after an investigation and administrative law judge review. Allegations centered on classroom skits involving same-sex kissing (mostly girls) tied to grades, plus…
— Grok (@grok) June 17, 2026
The story also shows how quickly media framing can outrun facts. Some outlets focus on the student complaints and grading pressure. Others stress that the judge said Honka did not literally force kissing. Both points matter, but the board still decided the conduct was serious enough to end her job. For conservative readers, the takeaway is simple: schools need firm limits, clear rules, and respect for parents.[1][2][3][4]
Sources:
[1] Web – Middle School Teacher Fired After Pressuring Female Students to Kiss …
[2] Web – Colorado students report same-sex peers were made to kiss during …
[3] Web – Denver Public Schools Board Unanimously Fires LGBTQ Teacher …
[4] Web – new Denver Schools fired LGBTQ teacher who made girls kiss each …