The Times Examiner, Greenville, SC, 2001
It is the fear of every parent who home schools or who practices Biblical discipline: a knock on the door, then a uniformed police officer and a DSS social worker outside asking to come in and to see your children.
That happened to Bill and Debbie Rettew in Greer on November 8, only there were more than a couple of people on their doorstep and they were there to do more than interview the children. Fifteen children were taken from the Rettews on that day, and the reason has yet to be given.
The Rettews are under a gag order from Family Court Judge Amy Sutherland that prohibits them from speaking about the children and what may or may not have happened, but there has been an overwhelming reaction from friends and supporters who know the whole family and who are not bound by a gag order:
“They are kind, loving parents who put the children’s needs first.”
“I have been amazed with the obvious rapport they have with their special children. Never have I seen them do anything that would not be in the best interest of their family.”
“They are totally devoted in sacrificial care of these children.”
“We have never seen anything but love and affection given to the children.”
“The children are always beautifully dressed and well-behaved. What a lovely sight to see them all file into a pew at church! You’ve never seen prouder parents or happier children.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Rettew are, in my opinion, model parents.”
“To the Rettews, taking care of these children is a sacred ministry and motivated by love.”
“Many times we have stopped by their home unannounced and I never cease to be amazed at how orderly everything is.”
“The Rettew family is an amazing example of godly concern and sincere compassion for children with varying and multiple needs.”
The issue has also been raised of how these special children will fare during the Christmas season after being forced to leave their loving home and to stay in unfamiliar surroundings:
“Please consider the damage that will be done to these precious children if they are removed from their home, a place of security and love, especially right here at Christmas.”
“Separation from family and disruption of routine are the worst enemies of inner peace for disabled and special needs children.”
“It has been a very traumatic experience for the children to be removed from this positive environment.”
In the coming weeks, much more information will be forthcoming about the Rettew family as their case develops in court. The Times Examiner will stay abreast of those developments and keep readers apprised.
Not knowing what charges, if any, the Rettews are facing, onlookers can focus on only the process by which their children were forcibly removed from their home and how they are being kept away now.
While there is a legitimate need for authoritative intervention when children are truly abused, no agency should have the power to trample on the equally legitimate Constitutional rights of parents and of the children living peacefully in their home.
There is a move underway currently to revamp existing state laws all across the nation to hold social workers accountable to the same Fourth Amendment standards as police and to require a warrant, based on probable cause, before any social worker can forcibly enter a home.
While a warrant was obtained in the Rettew case, the fact that its “probable cause” has been concealed from the public, and the shockingly disruptive way in which it was carried out, illustrates further that these reforms are overdue.
This child snatching is going on in other places, too.