A Loudoun County middle school teacher who was charged with being drunk in public has resigned, but denies the charges against him.

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Radhakrishnan Sivaramapillai, 46, of Centreville, was charged with drunk in public. Sivaramapillai was placed on paid administrative leave. He resigned his position as a physics teacher Tuesday.

Tuesday evening, Sivaramapillai defended himself. Asked by an ABC7 reporter whether he was drinking on the job, he said “No.”

"So what was the blood alcohol content issue?" the reporter inquired. Sivaramapillai declined to answer.

A staff member at to J. Michael Lunsford Middle School in South Riding reported a teacher who was believed to be under the influence. Police responded at about 2:45 p.m.

"Staff members detected the odor of alcohol, did what they should have done, which is go to their administration. Administration called the sheriff's office," said Wayde Byard, Loudoun County Schools spokesperson.

Police won't say where or when they suspect Sivaramapillai consumed alcohol. They say the 46-year-old failed a field sobriety test, which means his blood alcohol was over the legal limit to drive.

"You expect better, you expect better,” said Vanessa King, a parent.

A school spokesperson says students were not aware of the incident when it happened.

Sivaramapillai was a physics teacher and had been with the school since it opened in September, according to Loudoun County Schools spokesman Wayde Byard.

Sivaramapillai passed a background check when he started with the Loudoun County school system two years ago. Prior to that, he worked in Fairfax County.