The Trump administration’s Department of Education announced Tuesday it is investigating Denver Public Schools over allegations that a high school teacher forced students of the same sex to kiss each other during class skits, a practice the agency described as «abhorrent» and potentially illegal. The federal probe will examine whether the district violated the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), which requires schools to notify parents before exposing students to surveys or activities involving sensitive topics such as sexual behavior, as well as Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination.
The investigation centers on teacher Jennifer Honka, a French language and culture instructor at Northeast Early College High School. According to an independent review obtained by local media, Honka allegedly directed students to kiss during in-class performances and consistently chose same-sex pairs. One student told a chemistry teacher about the skits in April 2024, saying she was «very uncomfortable» but complied after Honka’s instruction. A meme circulated among students depicting Honka with the caption «she makes girls kiss.» Another student who refused to participate received a zero on the assignment, the review found.
Kimberly Richey, assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education, said in a statement: «Schools have an obligation to prevent and address sexual assault. Yet in Colorado, school personnel are alleged to have compelled the sexual assault of minor students by forcing them to engage in blatantly sexualized conduct in class. It is abhorrent and the Trump administration will fully investigate this perverse incident to protect students’ safety and vigorously uphold students’ rights across America.» The department’s Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) will investigate whether parents were notified about the activity and whether opt-out requests were ignored.
Denver Public Schools placed Honka on administrative leave in March 2025 after learning of the allegations. The district’s board of education voted unanimously on May 20, 2025 to terminate her employment, citing «incompetence and neglect of duty.» In a statement, a district spokesperson said: «The safety, emotional well-being and dignity of our students are the absolute highest priorities of DPS. Our actions to date have been wholly consistent with those priorities. Immediately after learning of student concerns with this teacher in March 2025, the district placed the teacher on administrative leave and completed a thorough investigation.» The spokesperson added that the district is reviewing the notice from the Office for Civil Rights and will cooperate fully.
Separately, the Department of Education announced a second investigation into Washington state’s Bethel School District over a Pride Month display at Graham-Kapowsin High School that included vials labeled as testosterone. District officials said the vials were added without authorization and removed them after discovering some still contained liquid. A Bethel spokesperson said the district is «aware of the investigation and will be cooperating.» The Trump administration has pursued multiple actions against school policies it considers to be overstepping parental rights or promoting controversial content, including previous probes into schools accused of hiding students’ gender transitions from parents.
The Denver case highlights ongoing tensions over curriculum content and parental notification laws. The PPRA, often called the «Hatch Amendment,» gives parents the right to opt their children out of surveys or instructional materials that touch on sex, family life, or political beliefs. The outcome of the investigation could lead to corrective action or loss of federal funding if violations are confirmed. Both the Denver and Bethel probes are in early stages, and no deadlines for findings have been announced.
