The former director of an after-school program at Fox Elementary School has been acquitted of assault and battery of an unruly second-grader in the program.

Robin Spears walked free after Richmond Circuit Court Judge Claire Cardwell dismissed the misdemeanor charge against her Monday after finding insufficient evidence to support the charge that she had hit the child.

Ms. Spears, who has been on leave since the allegation that she beat the child was first reported on Nov. 22, 2021, called it a “big relief” after the judge ruled in her favor.

A licensed social worker who has been an RPS teacher and counselor for 14 years, she had denied touching the child in the story the Free Press published Dec. 1-3 on her case.

Ms. Spears did not testify.

Georgette Williams, a 26-year veteran in Richmond Public Schools, provided the key testimony on behalf of Ms. Spears.

Ms. Williams testified she was in the office when Ms. Spears dealt with the child who was brought to her office for walking on tables and chairs and spilling milk in the cafeteria.

Ms. Williams testified that the 7-year-old knocked over and threw chairs, but she said Ms. Spears never touched the child in trying to bring him under control. She said Ms. Spears tapped a table to get his attention and spoke sternly in an effort to get the child to pick up the chairs.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Elisabeth Linka relied heavily on the testimony of the now 8-year-old Kieran Wiilder Rose. In direct testimony, he said Ms. Spears hit him on the head, back and knee.

However, he told Ms. Linka he could not identify Ms. Spears. And he admitted to Ms. Spears’ attorney, Lawarence A. Drom- betta, that he also had no independent recollection of the incident, but instead was simply remembering what Ms. Linka and other adults told him he said in preparing him to testify.

The dismissal of the case is not the end for Ms. Spears. She is continuing to seek a hearing before the School Board in trying to win a reversal of Superintendent Jason Kamras’ recommenda- tion that she be fired.