ST. JOSEPH CO. — A Penn Harris Madison teacher and coach pleaded not guilty Monday to two felony counts of child seduction. Many students are asking tough questions about the Brooke Biggs accusations. And parents struggling to come up with the answers.

Brooke Biggs, 27, is accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 16-year-old Penn High School student.

Biggs teaches 7th and 8th grade P-E at Grissom Middle School. She coaches high school softball and women's basketball at Penn.

It's not easy for parents to talk to their kids about a teacher accused of child seduction.

"Whether it's at school with children or in the workplace with adults, it's the topic of conversation," said Child Psychologist Hugh Van Auken.

"They are asking questions," one parent told WSBT after school Monday.

"We don't really know how to handle it," said Grissom Middle School parent Ronnie Mann.

But Van Auken told WSBT there are ways to approach the topic of sexual misconduct.

"It's very important that parents keep in mind their child's age. You don't need to go into great graphic detail in most instances with very young children," he explained. "They won't understand what it is."

Older kids will want to know more. Van Auken said it's important for parents to be very honest and straightforward with their kids when discussing issues of sexual abuse and sexual victimization.

Biggs isn't the first PHM teacher or coach accused of sexual misconduct. In 2001, Penn softball coach Chris Woods was convicted of child seduction when he ran off with a 17-year-old student.

In 2004, Walt Disney teacher Timothy Wylie was convicted of molesting a fourth grader. In 2008, a case against Theresa Getz was dismissed after accusations she had sex with a 14-year-old Grissom student.

"People who do [sexually abuse kids] are not freakish, odd-looking people," said Van Auken.

According to a 2004 study from the US Department of Education, 9.6 percent of students are targets of educator sexual misconduct.

"Usually it's someone that the child would know," Van Auken continued.

He said parents should make sure their kids know they know they can always disclose information to a counselor, teacher, clergyman or someone else they trust.

Some parents might worry how their kids are affected by the accusations against Biggs.

Van Auken said parents should be concerned if their students begin to shy away from teachers, or indicate they are scared of their teachers when there isn't good evidence they should be. Talking to the student is the best thing to do.