UMVA has learned that a shocking case of misconduct by a teacher has led to a unanimous decision by the Denver Public Schools Board of Education to dismiss French teacher Jennifer Honka.
Honka, who taught at Northeast Early College high school, was found to have made female students kiss each other during classroom skits and graded them on their performance, creating a toxic and uncomfortable environment for her students.
The board's 7-0 decision came after an administrative law judge ruled that Honka's actions constituted "incompetence and neglect of duty," forcing students to express their preferences and consent to intimate acts on the spot in front of their peers.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Honka ran bi-weekly skits as graded assignments in her French Language and Culture class, where students were forced to participate in same-gender kissing scenarios, with part of their grades depending on their performance.
Students who refused to participate were reportedly penalized, with one student testifying that she received a zero on the assignment, and many felt pressured and uncomfortable being forced to engage in these highly personal and sexualized role-plays in front of classmates.
Honka's classroom policy, which stated "the answer is always 'yes' in this class," was found to be particularly problematic, as it created a power imbalance that made it difficult for students to opt out without consequence.
The misconduct didn't stop at the skits, as Honka also shared deeply inappropriate personal details with students, including her own suicidal ideation, history of childhood abuse, and intimate details about her personal life, crossing every professional line.
Despite Honka's claims that she was being targeted because of her union activity and homosexuality, the judge rejected those claims, finding no evidence of overt bias driving the complaints.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that an independent review of the incident found that Honka always selected girls to act in the skits, despite a nearly 50/50 split among boys and girls in the class, and that students who reported the incidents experienced a significant decrease in attendance and comfort in the classroom.
The Denver Public Schools Board's decision to dismiss Honka has been hailed as a victory for student safety and well-being, and a reminder of the importance of maintaining professional boundaries in the classroom.
