NEW CASTLE, Ind. -- A special education teacher is accused of having sex with one of his students in a classroom and giving the victim better grades after the encounter.

The allegation involves Timothy Erwin (pictured), 31, who taught at the New Castle Alternative School, 6News' Renee Jameson reported.

The student told police that Erwin pulled her into a closet this fall and began to kiss her and that he had sex with her in a classroom within the last two weeks, police said.

Erwin's neighbors told 6News that they are concerned about the allegation.

"(I'm) obviously concerned for the neighborhood and the safety of the neighbors and my children," said one resident, who didn't want to be identified. "There's lots of children in this neighborhood. So, that's frankly shocking."

The teen said that Ervin favored her over other students and that she got As and Bs in class for doing nothing.

Erwin was charged with three counts of child seduction and one count of interfering with the reporting of a crime. He was accused of trying to keep the student from talking to police, Jameson reported.

Erwin told police that he was shocked by the allegation, and some neighbors are giving him the benefit of the doubt.

"From the neighbors I talked to, they don't think it is true," one woman said. "I would hope not everybody in this town would judge him right away and check into it further."

Police said another student reported seeing Erwin and the teen kiss in the hallway on at least one occasion.

The New Castle Schools superintendent said Erwin was suspended with pay and has been a teacher for a little less than seven years.