Denver Public Schools voted unanimously to fire a Colorado teacher who allegedly pressured same-sex students to kiss during a playdate.
The teacher in question, 50-year-old Jennifer Honka – who also taught French language and culture at Northeast Early College – has been accused of pressuring students to kiss during plays in her class. According to CBS News, an independent review found that the students who were pressured to kiss during the play were “always of the same gender”.
CBS Colorado obtained court documents in the case, which also revealed that Honka shared details of his personal life – including his sexual orientation and status as a lesbian, using a sperm donor and his “suicidal thoughts.”
She appealed her dismissal, triggering the review that ultimately sealed her fate.
CBS News includes a quote from a student witness who told a chemistry teacher at the school about the skit in April 2024.
“The student was very uncomfortable and did not know what to do,” the documents state. “She proceeded to kiss another student at (Honka’s) direction. The student then shared a digital meme with the (chemistry teacher) that contained a photo of (Honka) and the caption ‘She kisses girls.’ This meme went viral among the students.
CBS News reported:
A student interviewed directly in the Independent Review also testified that Honka always selected girls to act in plays. Despite the nearly 50/50 split between boys and girls in the class, the student “did not remember that Honka had chosen a boy actor.”
This student refused to participate and testified that she received a zero for a grade on this assignment.
Another student said she walked out of the classroom.
An English teacher at the school also said that other students had also contacted her about the dramas being uncomfortable. “The student told (the English teacher) that she was asked to kiss three other girls in one of (Honka’s) plays,” according to the report.
The independent review also found that Honka tried to force students to participate by pushing the classroom rule that “the answer is always ‘yes.'” Honka also used skits to grade students.
Honka claims he gave students a choice of kissing, such as fisting or pretend kissing. Nevertheless, she was fired from her job and asserted her status as a victim, reportedly telling investigators that she was being discriminated against because of her sexual orientation.
She has been teaching for more than two decades.
