Outschool User Policies

Bullying & Harassment

• Bullying (hurting, threatening, excluding, or picking on someone repeatedly) is never okay.
• Harassment and Threats (doing or saying things that make others feel scared, uncomfortable, embarrassed, or disrespected) are not allowed.

Hate Speech & Exclusion

• Outschool does not allow any language, image, or behavior that attacks or excludes people of a protected class under the law because of their:
  
  • Race or skin color
  • Origin, like where they’re from, or what language they speak
  • Gender or who they love
  • Religion or beliefs
  • Disabilities or unique learning needs
• No one will be excluded from participating in class based on the traits above.
• Words should be inclusive and refrain from using exclusionary language like “girls only,” “not for boys,” or “no [group] allowed.”

Profanity

• No swearing, cursing, lewd language, name-calling, or using rude or mean words – even as a joke.

Age-appropriate Learning & Neutral Political Content

• Sometimes classes and topics on Outschool may touch on sensitive topics, so learning content should be age-appropriate and factual.
  
  • Learning about government, history, voting, current events, and other political topics must be done in a neutral way.
  • Hot-topic issues and political discussions/debates should only be part of a designated lesson to encourage independent thinking while being respectful of multiple viewpoints
• Dissent about topics should always be articulated respectfully. Don't provoke others by actively promoting a specific political point-of-view while on the platform. This includes showing off or wearing items with divisive political messages.

Religious Content

• Outschool is secular, which means it's not religious.

Sexual Content

• Don’t talk about or show private body parts.
• No sexual jokes, gestures, images, innuendo, or sexual description of someone’s body, behavior, or actions.
• No romantic or sexual relationships between teacher and student.

• You can: 
  
  • Learn about human biology in science.
  • Learn about age-appropriate sex education classes with parent approval.

Academic Integrity: Homework, Plagiarism, AI, and Cheating:

• All Learners should do their own writing, homework, and tests. 
• Cheating and Plagiarism are not allowed.  Never copy someone else's ideas or work and claim it’s your own. Be original and honest.
• Artificial Intelligence is a learning and productivity tool, but don’t use AI in place of doing your own work

Impersonation & Fake Personal Information:

• Don’t impersonate or pretend to be someone else by using their name, age, contact information, address, pictures, experiences, or background.
• Don’t provide fake personal information such as age, gender, grade, school, phone number, or address.
• Don’t provide fake documents, such as health records, a degree/diploma, or certificates of achievement, etc. Fraudulent misrepresentation is strictly prohibited. 
• Don’t use unauthorized payment methods that are not your own.
• Don’t create multiple accounts or misrepresent information for financial gain. 

Misinformation:

• Don’t share false or misleading information as fact.
• Don’t lie or spread rumors.
• Don’t write fake reviews or endorsements for teachers and classes.

Classroom Safety & Platform Safety

• Outschool Classes are only for kids: learners from early childhood through high school age.  
• All classes are hosted on the Outschool Platform only. Some teachers may use approved Learning Management Systems like Google Classroom, which are open only during live classroom sessions.
• All gaming classes are hosted on private servers and meet only during designated class time.
• All users enter Outschool classrooms using the “Join Now” button only.
• No one should ever share an internal or external ZOOM link.
• Teachers must be visible, recognizable, and always on camera.
• All learners must visually check-in on camera.
• Teachers will always supervise learners during class.  
• Unless permitted by Outschool, only registered child learners may attend class or watch.
• Adults can’t take classes and should reasonably be off-camera (except in cases where attendance is required with young learners in “Adult & Me” classes or to meet with a teacher for progress reports/planning, etc.)
• Materials in classrooms and links shared by all users must adhere to COPPA compliance rules
• Videos of completed classes may be viewed by registered learner families who have been verified.
• Recordings may not be downloaded or shared, and are deleted after 90 days.
• Teachers are considered Mandatory Reporters and will follow all legally required protocols to report suspected cases of abuse or neglect, or other dangerous situations involving minors

Alcohol, Tobacco, or Drugs

• Unless in the context of a lesson, don’t use, show, or talk about alcohol, tobacco, or drugs during class. This includes product packaging, apparel, and stickers etc.
• Don't join a class while under the influence of any alcohol or drugs.

Safety - Preventing Grooming

• Inappropriate relationships between children and adults are never allowed.
• For safety, all Outschool classes are taught only on the Outschool platform and are recorded.
• Grooming (when someone tries to trick or manipulate a child for bad reasons) is serious and is not tolerated at Outschool.
• To keep kids safe, teachers or adults may never offer money, prizes, or non-Outschool gift cards to children
• If you’re unsure or feel weird about any behaviors, compliments, or relationships, referenceIf you’re unsure or feel weird about any behaviors, compliments, or relationships, reference ‘What and How to Report’ in the Safety Centerthe Safety Center 
  
  • Say NO.
  • Tell a trusted adult right away.
  • Report it to Outschool or even the police if needed.

Gifts & Rewards

• Teachers may provide parents with certificates of completion, future discounts, thank yous, or educational follow-up materials. Please review Learner Safety and Privacy for what can be allowed.
• Small thank-you gifts or cards to teachers are okay if sent through the Outschool system by parents.
• Gifts may not be traded for benefits on the Outschool platform, like inflated reviews for free classes.

Health Topics

• Do not talk about personal mental health issues (like depression or suicide).  
• Outschool users should not seek or provide medical advice, services (like therapy or diets), or counseling programs. This includes mental health consultation, diet recommendations, physical rehabilitation such as speech, physical, and occupational therapy, etc.
• The following are allowed with care:
  
  • General mental health tips (like how to manage stress).
  • Fun workout or nutrition classes.
  • Teaching about medical topics in science.

Privacy Rules

• For safety purposes, all Communications must be kept on Outschool to best support our users
• Don’t share your (or others') private info like:
  
  • Full name
  • Birthday
  • Home address
  • Phone number
  • Email
  • School name
  • And other information that someone considers private, such as license plate, credit card numbers, banking information, school/education history, medical records, etc.
  • Personal photos and videos, especially of children

• See the Learner privacy guide for additional information about learner privacy.

• In order to keep kids from accessing unsafe sites, never share Social Media information, such as gaming handles, YouTube channels, or personal websites.
• Don’t post or share other people’s personal information or images.
• Parents may share their contact information with other parents so kids can keep in touch.
• Parents may request limited personal information from Teachers to assist with educational purposes, like school reports or recommendations.  Teachers should never share personal information with a learner.
• Do be mindful of age-appropriate resources.  Don’t share outside links or third-party resources that are not COPPA-compliant for the target age range of a class.

SPAM or Scams

• Don’t spam or send the same message over and over or in bulk to a random list of users. Bot-generated messages are not allowed.
• Don’t share links, apps, or files unless they are required for the class and comply with COPPA and other relevant laws and regulations.
• Never send money or share private info or pictures in return for gifts or rewards.
• If you unfortunately fell for a scam, don’t be scared. 
  
  • Report to Outschool Safety
  • Report to law enforcement for serious situations

Violence & Scary Stuff

• Don’t share anything that could be considered violent, bloody, or scary unless it adds to the classroom learning and is shown in an age-appropriate way.
• No threats, harassment, or violent talk in any form of communication is allowed, including language and images.
• Outschool does not condone or allow any teaching, discussions, or actions that actively promote violence or harm to others.  Any talk or display of weapons, unless it’s clearly part of a safe and approved class (like using a knife in cooking, chemical materials for a science experiment, or strategy in a military history class), is not allowed
• Don’t show or talk about self-harm, suicide, or dangerous challenges – even as a joke.

If you see anything that seems suspicious, wrong, scary, or unsafe, don’t keep it a secret. Report it!

• For children:  if something feels off, tell a trusted adult!
• Learners can also report any well-being or safety concerns directly to Outschool’s Safety team through their own learner space. 
• All users should contact Outschool support with any safety or security Concerns