A high school geography teacher in Aurora who compared a speech by President Bush to language used by Hitler and sparked an uproar in the Denver region will return to the classroom on Monday after an investigation by school officials.

The teacher, Jay Bennish, who had been on paid leave from Overland High School, said he was trying to make students think in a lecture on Feb. 1 that a student recorded. The State Board of Education split on Thursday, four Republicans vs. four Democrats, over a resolution condemning Mr. Bennish. A bill in the State Senate would allow teachers to be fired for violating school district policies that require balanced presentations.