Denver board fires French teacher over kissing skits

A Denver Public Schools teacher has been terminated following an investigation that found she directed students to participate in classroom skits involving same-sex kissing and shared inappropriate personal details with her class. The Denver Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to fire French language and culture teacher Jennifer Honka for incompetence and neglect of duty.

The board's decision, finalized in May, followed a district investigation and an independent review by Colorado Administrative Law Judge Keith J. Kirchubel. The review, dated April 30, stemmed from student complaints during the 2023-2024 school year at Northeast Early College. A formal complaint was filed in February 2025, and Honka was placed on administrative leave during the proceedings.

According to the judge's findings, Honka regularly used scripted role-playing exercises, titled "The Neighbors Saw Everything" and "The Boring Kiss," as graded assignments in her French class. Students testified that the skits required them to kiss classmates, with those selected consistently being of the same sex. Multiple female students reported they were routinely chosen for these roles, despite a nearly...