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A Colorado teacher has been fired after an investigation found students were allegedly asked to kiss classmates during classroom skits, with some reporting they felt pressured to participate because the performances counted toward their grades.

CBS News reported Monday that the Denver Public Schools board voted 7-0 on May 20 to terminate French language and culture teacher Jennifer Honka at Northeast Early College for “incompetence and neglect of duty,” finding she had at times allegedly suggested that students kiss during in-class skits.

The outlet reported that an April 30 independent review, a copy of which was obtained by CBS Colorado, found that the students who were allegedly encouraged to kiss were always the same sex.

“One student told an NEC chemistry teacher about the skits in April 2024,” CBS News reported. “The student was very uncomfortable and did not know what to do,” the report said. “She went ahead and kissed another student at (Honka)’s direction. The student then shared a digital meme with (the chemistry teacher) that included a picture of (Honka) and the caption ‘she makes girls kiss.’ The meme had circulated among the students.”

Per the report, following this incident, “the student’s attendance decreased dramatically.”

Additionally, CBS News reported that “One student interviewed directly in the independent review also testified that Honka always selected girls to act in the skits. Despite a nearly 50/50 split among boys and girls in the class, the student ‘could not recall Honka choosing a boy actor.’ This student refused to participate and testified that she received a zero score for a grade on this assignment.”

Another student reportedly walked out of the class, and an English teacher at the school “testified that several students approached her as well. One of the students ‘appeared upset and defeated,’ as stated in the independent review. ‘The student told (the English teacher) that she had been asked to kiss three other girls in one of (Honka)’s skits.’”

According to the report, the skits where Honka asked students to kiss were titled “The Neighbors Saw Everything” and “The Boring Kiss,” which were about characters who were dating.

One student reportedly said that Honka had a classroom rule that went, “the answer is always ‘yes’” which was used by Honka to encourage students to participate in the skits, which were biweekly and part of their performance grades.

Honka had allegedly disclosed to the class that she was a lesbian and an LGBTQ supporter.

Jennifer Warren, the principal at Northeast Early College, filed a police report with the Denver Police Department following a third student who said there was kissing during class skits.

CBS News reported that Honka testified that “she did not force students to kiss and would give them alternatives such as blowing a kiss or ‘fist bumps’ if they were uncomfortable. One of the complaining students, in fact, did testify in the independent review that Honka ‘would allow students to pretend to kiss.’”

Jennifer Warren, the principal at Northeast Early College, filed a police report with the Denver Police Department following a third student who said there was kissing during class skits.

The report also alleged that Honka shared personal details, including fertility struggles, suicidal ideations, and being a victim of child abuse.

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She defended her personal disclosures to students in class in the report, stating that she was trying to build trust with students, but one student who was struggling with suicide reportedly walked out of her class.

Keith J. Kirchubel, a Colorado administrative law judge, wrote in the independent review that, “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.”