A Denver teacher accused of pressuring students to kiss in class has landed a new job, and parents should be asking hard questions.

Quick Take

• A former Denver Public Schools French teacher was terminated after a unanimous 7-0 board vote.^[1][2]
• An administrative law judge called the skits “irresponsible and inappropriate.”^[2][3]
• Students said the kissing scenes felt pressured because the work was graded.^[1][2]
• Reporting now says she has been hired at a Colorado elementary school.^[3]

What the Denver case found

Denver Public Schools fired Jennifer Honka after a district investigation and an independent review tied to her French class skits. The board voted 7-0 to terminate her for incompetence and neglect of duty. Reporting says the skits included repeated kissing scenes, and students later complained that they felt pushed to take part during graded work.^[1][2]

The most troubling part is not just the classroom topic. It is the setting. According to the judge’s written findings, the issue was not only whether Honka physically forced anyone. The concern was that students had to answer a personal and sexualized prompt in front of classmates while under a teacher’s authority.^[2][3]

Why the board acted

The independent review said Honka’s approach to teaching French through skits was “irresponsible and inappropriate.” It also found that the classroom setup created negative effects on students with little or no educational value. One student reportedly refused to participate and said she received a zero. Another student said she felt uncomfortable but still took part.^[2]

Honka disputed the charge that she forced students to kiss. Reporting says she testified that students could choose alternatives such as blowing a kiss or giving fist bumps. That matters because the case turns on credibility and classroom pressure, not on a video of direct physical coercion. Even so, the board and judge concluded that the structure of the assignment crossed a line.^[2][3]

Why the new job raises alarm

The latest reporting says Honka has now landed a new position as an elementary school teacher in Colorado. For parents, that will sound like a system that failed the common-sense test. When a teacher is removed after a misconduct finding involving students, families expect a careful pause before another district puts that person back in front of children.^[3]

This story also fits a wider problem in public schools: weak oversight, mixed standards, and too much trust in administrators who often move too slowly. The district publicly said student safety, well-being, and dignity were its highest priorities. That is the right message, but hiring decisions have to match it. Parents do not need slogans. They need schools that protect children first.^[1]

What remains unclear

The surfaced reporting does not include the full administrative record, hearing transcript, or complete exhibit list. That means readers can see the judge’s conclusions, but not every piece of evidence behind them. The core facts are still strong enough to justify serious concern. A teacher was terminated after students complained, a judge backed the dismissal, and the same teacher now appears to have moved into another school job.^[1][2][3]

Sources:

[1] Web – Fired Teacher Accused of Forcing Students to Kiss Lands New Job at …

[2] Web – Denver teacher fired after students report feeling pressured to kiss …

[3] Web – Colorado students report same-sex peers were made to kiss during …