These expectations apply to parents and guardians involved in the course. Each parent or guardian of a student under 18 acknowledges them from their own account when joining.
Parents communicate with the instructor and their own child. BugClub has no parent forum or contact between parents and other families. You can ask to observe your child's live session. You're also invited to watch their demo day. Parents attend as observers and don't join discussions or chats with other parents or students other than their own.
Your account and your child's work
Use your own parent account to contact me and follow your child's progress. Let your child write their own messages and do their own course work. You can help them get started, ask questions and make room for practice without doing the work for them.
If your child is under 18, your account lets you read their instructor conversations, including both sides of a message thread and feedback that has been sent to them. Their personal notes and unsubmitted work stay private. I explain this access to students as well as parents. Students can show you our conversations and my feedback without asking me first.
How we communicate
Use your parent-account thread or hello@bugclubhq.com for questions about the course. The contact page lists my usual reply time. If you have a concern about another student, bring it to me rather than contacting that student yourself.
Treat students, other families and me with respect. Threats, harassment, discriminatory remarks and personal insults are not acceptable. Questions, disagreement, criticism and reporting a safety concern are allowed.
Live sessions and other students' privacy
Ask me before observing a live session. Give students room to speak and work through mistakes. Don't record or photograph sessions, share recordings or meeting links, or publish another student's messages, work or personal details. You can keep relevant records and share them with someone helping you report a concern.
Questions about my conduct
I never ask a student to keep our conversations from their parents. On the application call with an under-18 student and their parent or guardian, I explain that the student can show them anything I say or send to them. The instructor rules describe the other boundaries I follow.
You can review saved instructor conversations from your child's overview in your parent account. Use your own thread or email hello@bugclubhq.com to tell me which conversation or incident concerns you. I will acknowledge it, preserve the relevant records and explain what I found and what happens next. If I need more time to respond fully, I will tell you when to expect an update.
I'm the only instructor and I receive those messages myself. BugClub has no separate internal complaints reviewer. You can seek outside advice or report a concern to the appropriate authorities without contacting me first. You and your child won't be penalized for raising a concern in good faith.
If a parent breaks these expectations
I will explain the problem and what needs to change. Serious or repeated harassment, threats or privacy violations may mean restricting a parent's participation or ending the family's enrollment. Any decision to end enrollment will include a written explanation and how the published refund policy applies. Raising a concern or disagreeing with me is not grounds for removal.
Your acknowledgment
By acknowledging these expectations, you confirm that you have read them, understand how to review instructor conversations and raise a concern, and agree to follow the expectations for parents. Your acknowledgment does not certify my conduct or waive your right to complain.