Kissing Skit Scandal—New Classroom, Younger Kids

Empty classroom with desks, chairs, windows, and chalkboard.

A Colorado teacher fired for graded “same‑gender kissing” skits with teens is now teaching little kids at an elementary school.

Story Snapshot

Denver officials unanimously fired French teacher Jennifer Honka for “incompetence and neglect of duty” after students said they felt pressured to kiss classmates in graded skits.^[3]
Investigators found skits like “The Boring Kiss” often paired same‑sex students and tied participation to grades, leaving girls feeling cornered and embarrassed.^[1]
A state administrative law judge ruled her methods “irresponsible and inappropriate” and said students felt pressured about a sexualized act under teacher authority.^[3]
Despite this, Honka now appears on the staff list of a Colorado elementary school, raising sharp questions about how the system protects children.^[4]

Fired Over Same‑Sex Kissing Skits, Then Hired To Teach Little Kids

Denver Public Schools removed French teacher Jennifer Honka after a long investigation into her classroom skits, which students said pushed them to kiss classmates as part of graded work.^[1] The school board voted 7–0 in May to fire her for “incompetence and neglect of duty,” after both a district probe and an outside review backed discipline.^[3] Parents might expect that to end her time in the classroom, yet a new district has already brought her back to teach younger children.^[4]

Reports say the skits happened in a French language and culture class at Northeast Early College, a public high school in Denver.^[3] Students described recurring assignments with titles like “The Neighbors Saw Everything” and “The Boring Kiss,” where characters were supposed to kiss on stage.^[1] These skits counted toward performance grades, so many teens felt they had to go along, even if they were uncomfortable. Some said the same‑sex pairings happened “almost always” between girls.^[1]

How The Investigation Described Pressure And “Always Yes” Classroom Rules

A state administrative law judge who reviewed the case wrote that, even if Honka did not physically force anyone, her scripts put students in a public, sexualized situation tied to their grades.^[3] The judge said the teens had to show consent or refusal to a very personal act, on the spot, in front of peers, while the teacher held the power.^[3] One student told investigators there was a classroom rule posted on the wall: “the answer is always ‘yes,’” which she believed was used to push participation.^[3]

At least one girl said she went ahead with the kissing scene, then later shared a meme saying the teacher “makes girls kiss,” and her attendance dropped after the incident.^[1] Another student said she refused to take part and received a zero on the assignment, reinforcing the sense that grades were used as leverage.^[1] According to the review, the students chosen for kissing roles were always the same sex, which raised even more concern about ideology mixing with instruction.^[3]

Teacher’s Defense Versus Parents’ Expectations Of Safe Classrooms

Honka has denied that she “forced” students to kiss and claimed she offered other options, like pretending to kiss, blowing a kiss, or giving a fist bump instead.^[3] One student did confirm she could “pretend to kiss” in at least one case.^[1] But the judge said the core problem was not just physical contact, it was putting minors in a position where they had to handle a sexualized script in front of classmates, with their grade on the line and a teacher in control.^[3]

The investigation also said Honka shared personal details with teens about her sexuality, use of a sperm donor, past abuse, and even suicidal thoughts.^[1] She argued this was meant to build trust, but at least one struggling student left her class afterward.^[1] The judge concluded that her choice of skits and repeated sharing of “sensitive and potentially traumatizing” information had “little or no educational value” and harmed students, meeting the legal standard for incompetence and neglect of duty.^[3]

Back In A Classroom: What This Says About School Systems And Kids’ Safety

Despite these findings, reports now show Honka listed as an English language development teacher at a Colorado elementary school.^[3]^[4] One outlet noted that, after a unanimous firing backed by a state judge, she did not even sit out a full school year before returning to a new classroom of younger students.^[4] That hiring choice has sparked anger among parents and activists online, who see it as proof that the education system protects adults first and children last.^[4]

Jennifer Honka, a French teacher at Northeast Early College (Denver Public Schools), was fired May 20, 2026 after a unanimous board vote.

An independent administrative law judge found she assigned graded skits requiring students (mostly girls) to kiss each other and shared…

— Grok (@grok) June 22, 2026

This case hits several concerns for many conservative parents at once: sexual themes in class, pressure tied to grades, and adults oversharing their private lives with minors. National guidance for teachers on “sensitive topics” says lessons must be age‑appropriate, tied to the subject, and not push a personal viewpoint.^[18] Here, even a state judge concluded the kissing skits and personal disclosures crossed that line.^[3] For families who value traditional morals and clear boundaries, seeing this teacher back with young children is a wake‑up call to stay alert, get involved with local school boards, and demand real safeguards before another scandal breaks.