This certainly will be a bittersweet Christmas for former Alcovy High School teacher and coach Derrick Roberts as well as paraprofessional Nanette Surber.

 Eight months ago the two were accused by another school employee of putting soap in a severely handicapped, non-verbal student and placing packing tape over the student’s mouth to keep him quiet. They were arrested and charged with misdemeanor simple battery and felony child cruelty.

 The charges against Roberts and Surber were dropped this past week by a Newton County Superior Court Grand Jury.

 Roberts left the school system and the education field because of the false charges brought against him and Surber by a fellow employee.

 We live in a society now where you are presumed guilty first by the court of public opinion on any charge like this. It used to be in our country that you were presumed innocent until proven guilty.

 We can only imagine the hell of uncertainty that both Roberts and Surber have had to live through these last eight months. They have lost their good name and their good job because of what appears to be vindictive lies of a "disgruntled employee."

 We do not have the false accuser’s name. If we did, we would feel justified in scorning that person for this travesty.

We wish both Roberts and Surber well for this upcoming year, and we pray that their lives can become normal.