A Pike County teacher is out of jail on bond after a female student accuses him of an inappropriate proposition.

It's an uncomfortable situation for the Pike County Schools superintendent. 32 year old Lincoln Bentley, a veteran English teacher and assistant football coach at East Ridge High School, was arrested Wednesday. A freshman female student accuses him of asking her to show him her breasts in exchange for a better grade.

"It's disturbing, it's not anything that we welcome, but you know it's things that certainly we're going to deal with and we want our public to feel that we do address issues," said Roger Wagner, Pike County School Superintendent.

Bentley pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor charges of official misconduct. He is suspended with pay and ordered not to have any contact with students.

"My office takes this case seriously. The board of education takes this case seriously, Kentucky State Police, everyone involved. This is important, it's a child. No one wants to see a child in that situation," said Roger Varney, Pike County Assistant Attorney.

But some say it's a case of her word against his.

"The evidence is mostly in the form of written statements, spoken statements, there's no forensics, as far as I understand, no eyewitnesses," said Robert Wright, Bentley's Attorney.

Bentley's attorney says that's all the more reason for the public to reserve judgment.

"If anybody out there has ever had allegations brought against them, if they were in Mr. Bentley's shoes, they would want to be thought of as innocent until proven guilty and I think everyone should give him the same courtesy," Wright said.

If convicted, Bentley faces up to a year in jail and a $500 dollar fine. He'll be back in court June 16th.

Bentley is set to take over as head football coach at Jenkins High School this summer. Jenkins Independent Superintendent John Shook tells us he agrees Bentley is innocent until proven guilty, and so far, he still plans on Bentley filling the coaching position.