They have always seemed high-handed to me and contradictory to our system of government. Of course the gag orders that judges in these cases may impose are not the same thing as CPS rules of confidentiality, are they? Do judges often issue such orders as an "adjunct" to CPS rules of confidentiality?
Also, I am wondering if a parent is publicly disparaging of his/her children during such an investigation, does CPS take that into account when determining whether these parents have the best interests of their children at heart. It has occurred to me that the Mr. and Mrs. Stanley may be damaging their own cause of be reunited with their children by some of their public statements. I have even wondered just what their lawyer is thinking in having them present their cause so publicly. Is the reunification of this family really the parents' goal? Is it really their attorney's goal? Could the goals of the parents and the attorney be at odds if someone else is paying the family's legal bills?
The Judge, not CPS, determines what is in the best interest of the child. Any parent has a right to speak about their own child. Didn't their son publicly speak about them?