Denver Public Schools Fires Teacher Over Allegations
Denver Public Schools has made a unanimous decision to terminate the employment of a teacher accused of pressuring a same-sex student to kiss during a classroom skit.
The teacher, Jennifer Honka, 50, who taught French and French culture at Northeast Early College, allegedly forced students to kiss during a class skit. An independent investigation indicated that the students involved were exclusively of the same sex.
Court documents acquired reveal that Honka shared personal information, including her being a lesbian, her use of a sperm donor, and disclosures about her mental health struggles.
After appealing her dismissal, a review process was initiated that ultimately influenced the final decision.
According to CBS News, a student witness recounted to a chemistry teacher the discomfort faced during the skit in April 2024.
“The student was extremely uncomfortable and did not know what to do,” the document stated. “At (Honka’s) direction, she kissed another student. The student then shared a meme that included a photo of (Honka) with the caption ‘She lets the girl kiss.’ This meme circulated among classmates.”
Another student, interviewed in the investigation, attested that Honka consistently chose girls for her skits despite the class being nearly equally divided between genders. “I couldn’t remember Honka selecting a boy for a role,” the student recalled.
This student opted out of participating and subsequently received a zero on the assignment. Reports indicate that another student even left the classroom during a skit.
An English teacher at the school noted that other students had expressed their discomfort regarding the skit. One shared that he was asked to kiss three other girls as part of Honka’s skits.
The independent investigation found that Honka attempted to enforce a classroom rule suggesting “the answer is always yes,” which reportedly pressured students into participating. Additionally, she utilized skits as a grading tool.
Honka maintained that she engaged students with fist bumps and mimed kisses instead of actual kisses. After her termination, she claimed victimization, arguing that her dismissal was due to discrimination based on her sexual orientation. She has been in the teaching profession for over 20 years.
