Our Frequently Asked Questions, Answered!
General FAQ
Is this online group safe?
Safety is our top priority in HSRC. Our staff team – consisting of current and former homeschoolers – are online every day keeping this group safe and comfortable. Our core team are adults who grew up in the HSRC community, volunteering their time here for over five years. We also have specially configured safeguards in place to keep our community secure from scams, threats, inappropriate language, and harassment. Please check out our Community Guidelines to get an idea of HSRC’s environment.
Our moderation team is run by our founder and administrator, Anne, who has dedicated years of her life to maintaining a safe online community for teenagers. Our community is comfortable knowing that our team of adult moderators always has their back. Trust is the foundation of our safety efforts, ensuring that all of our users are able to reach out to an adult for help at any time.
If you have questions or concerns about our space, don’t hesitate to join The Homeschooler’s Chat and ping our founder at @hsrc to chat directly.
Can this group help me make friends?
It definitely can! It will take a little effort on your part, but we provide all of the tools you need to make connections with peers in The Homeschooler’s Chat. If you enjoy playing video games, making art, reading books, or having genuine, heart-felt conversations with like-minded people, you’ll find so many opportunities to bond in our Discord server. If you’re still unsure whether you’re ready to join, check out our Events page to get a better idea of the activities we offer. We hope to see your in HSRC soon!
I do school online, or I’m not homeschooled. Can I join The Homeschooler’s Chat?
Yes! In fact, we even welcome non-homeschoolers between the ages of 13 to 19 to our group. The Homeschooler’s Chat is all about sprouting friendships, and we encourage any teenager looking for a sense of community to jump on board!
I’m a shy person. I’m worried I won’t fit in!
Don’t worry, friend! Our community was built by one incredibly shy homeschooler who had trouble socializing both in-person and online. Our staff are always there to help you feel more at ease if things are difficult for you at first. Every member of our community has a big heart, and most had a hard time being able to really speak up upon first joining. You’re not alone in this journey, and The Homeschooler’s Chat will be there for you whenever you’re ready to step outside of your comfort zone!
Is this a study group?
You can absolutely use our server for study purposes. Our group’s primary focus is socialization, however we do host weekly study sessions for all of our members. Spontaneous study sessions can take place at any time in our study voice chats, with optional lo-fi music!
What is Discord?
Discord is a messaging platform that we use to host our group. It allows for the greatest amount of custom safety tools and moderation, as well as tons of fun features to give our community the best experience socializing online! You can click here to learn more about the social messaging platform.
To find out more about our safety measures and how we keep our community secure, check out our Community Guidelines page.
Interested in finding out more about the staff and members of The Homeschooler’s Chat? Head on over to the About page to read up on the history of the server and see more details about the community’s culture.
While our server offers a space for students to study, you may still be struggling to find helpful tools while homeschooling. Check out our Resources page to find the websites and tools that we recommend as support for your curriculum.
Parent FAQ
I am a parent homeschooling a child. Can this group help?
While our group is designed to be a community for the students, parents are welcome to join with their 13+ homeschooling students. We have a handful of parents on our Discord server who may be able to assist you in your journey. You can also take a look at our resources page if you are in need of curriculum support.
I need help with education for my student.
We have a great list of websites that can help you educate your child for FREE on our Resources page. All of the resources you’ll find there have been used and recommended straight from our community of students and parents.
Can I join The Homeschooler’s Chat Discord server as a parent?
You can! While our space is not intended for adults to socialize and find friends, we do welcome parents to join with their students in order to help them feel comfortable or help yourself feel sure that your child is in good hands in HSRC. Child safety is our absolute number one priority and we are always happy to work with parents who have questions.
My student is younger than 13. Can they join HSRC on Discord?
Unfortunately, no. Our community is hosted on Discord, which is bound by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States, and similar acts internationally. This means users must be of a certain age to join Discord. In the United States, the age requirement is 13. More information about Discord’s minor safety policies and practices.
My child has Autism, a learning disability, or something similar. Will this space be safe for them?
The Homeschooler’s Chat is full of students with a wide variety of backgrounds. Our core values include kindness, patience, and empathy. Whether your child struggles with social interaction, has trouble understanding tone, or experiences a tough time with language, our staff team and long-term members will be more than happy to help them feel comfortable and supported in HSRC. If you join with your child, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Founder at @hsrc on Discord and let her know directly about your concerns. The more we know, the more we can do to help smoothly welcome your student into The Homeschooler’s Chat.
Who manages this group?
Our founder and administrator, Anne, is a former homeschooler herself. As an adult, she manages this space with the safety of every member in mind. Our core staff team consists of members who joined as students as far back as 2018. These users have continued to remain in the community as adults to help this space remain safe and comfortable for everyone. Our “helper” team consists of both teenagers and young adults who – guided by our adult staff team – help to enforce our family-friendly guidelines.
Discord Safety
Lean how to stay safe on Discord
Recognize Discord scams, get comfortable setting boundaries with others, and understand the types of situations you should avoid while enjoying Discord. For an in-depth dive with input from members of The Homeschooler’s Chat, check out Discord Safety: 7 Key Steps To A Peaceful Discord Experience.
Discord & Safety
Is Discord safe?
Discord is a messaging platform that we use to host our group. It allows for the greatest amount of custom safety tools and moderation, as well as tons of fun features to give our community the best experience socializing online! You can click here to learn more about the social messaging platform.
Like all online platforms, Discord can be a risky place. Sharing personal information, clicking links you don’t recognize, or accepting virtual gifts are some of the key dangers on Discord. Within HSRC, we strive to keep any scams, malicious behavior, and dangerous content out of our community. Through a combination of hands-on work by staff members and automatic systems in place that block and delete malicious content, HSRC remains a well-monitored space on Discord. To find out more about The Homeschooler’s Chat safety measures and how we keep our community secure, check out our Community Guidelines page.
Interested in finding out more about the staff and members of The Homeschooler’s Chat? Head on over to the About Us page to read up on the history of the server and see more details about the community’s culture.
How can I use safer Discord settings?
There are three key actions you can take to have a more safe and peaceful experience on Discord, aside from creating a secure password and enabling 2-factor authentication.
1. DM Spam and Explicit Image Filter
Navigate to Discord settings > Privacy & Safety > Explicit image filter or DM spam filter > Filter all direct messages. We recommend that you always leave this setting set exactly like this. You’ll find several more settings to explore in this area of Discord’s settings as well.
2. Preventing unwanted DMs
Navigate to Discord settings > Privacy & Safety > Allow Direct Messages From Server Members and DISABLE this feature. You can change this at any time.
3. Disallow unknown friend requests
Navigate to Discord settings > Friend Requests > toggle “everyone” off and consider toggling “server members” off as well to be safe. You can always change these settings in the future, if you would like to add a new friend.
What are Discord scams?
Discord scams often come in the form of a direct message, which we recommend you turn off. DMs with dialogue as simple as “hey how has your week been” from a user that you don’t know can lead to a scam. Some examples of common scam starters include:
- “Hey I’m so sorry but I accidentally reported your account to Discord and it will be deleted if you don’t…”
- Someone claiming to be Discord staff or having connections to Discord in an official capacity. Discord staff will never DM you to ask for personal information, welcome you to any kind of program, or warn you about your account being in danger.
- Messages informing you that you’ve won Discord Nitro or that they can give you Discord Nitro.
- Users claiming to be selling or giving away NFTs, cryptocurrency, or virtual items.
- A file being sent to you, even by an account you recognize (like a friend’s account).
- Someone asking you to “test” a game or application for them, even if this is from an account you recognize, could mean the account has been hacked.
What is safe to share on Discord?
Imagine that everything you share with a user on Discord is something you’re saying or displaying in front of a group of strangers.
Would you tell a group of strangers where you live? Would you tell a group of strangers really personal information about yourself? Would you give a group of strangers printed-out copies of that great selfie you just took? If you’re thinking, “yeah, I would do all of that,” remember that you have no idea who these people are and whether they’re harmless bystanders, potential predators, or someone with a personal grudge against you.
What about someone my age that I’ve known for a long time and even video called with?
These situations can be entirely different. Users that are around your age, whom you have seen and spoken to in real-time, can be truly great friends.
Maybe you’ve spoken to their family members, exchanged other contact information, and even planned to meet in person someday. In these cases, it may be safe to share more about yourself via DMs.
However, if this user begins to show signs of toxic behavior, (like getting upset when you don’t pay attention to them, asking you to share more than you’re comfortable sharing, or becoming too emotionally dependent on you), consider talking with a trusted adult about what’s happening and whether it’s a good idea to take a step back.
How do I report a Discord user?
Learn all about how to report a Discord user in this article from Discord. If you need to report a user of The Homeschooler’s Chat, please use the ticket system in our Discord server by heading to our “contact-staff” channel.
Is The Homeschooler’s Chat Discord server safe?
Our Discord server can be a safe and comfortable space if you take the correct precautions listed above. While all activity within our server is closely monitored by our staff members and our automatic moderation system, unknown users can still attempt to contact you privately if your Discord account settings are not customized to block such contact attempts. We seriously encourage you to go take a look at your Discord safety settings to ensure that you have a smooth and peaceful experience meeting fellow homeschoolers in our Discord server!
Want to know more about the staff and members of The Homeschooler’s Chat? Head on over to the About Us page to read up on the history of the server and see more details about the community’s culture.
Red Flags
Our Rules & Guidelines
Browse our Rules Below
These guidelines have been carefully developed to harbor a safe and inclusive environment for all members of The Homeschoooler’s Chat.
Keep All Content “Safe For Work”, Clean, and Kind
This is a family-friendly server. No swearing, offensive, or mature content (e.g. drinking, drugs, graphic violence, gore, sexual or implied sexual themes) is permitted. Stick to clean PG-13 content only. Seeking relationships here is not allowed.
No hate, bullying, jokes, or discrimination (e.g., based on race, gender, disability, age, sexuality, nationality, socioeconomic class/status, etc.) of any kind is permitted.
Keep Personal Identifying Information Private
Do not share or request personally identifying information (e.g. one’s location, more specific than region/state equivalent, or full name) or content that may put you or others at risk (e.g. content with personal location details or revealing clothing). View Discord’s Safety Center to learn more.
For the safety of all of our members we encourage users not to share this information within the server. Any messages or images that could put anyone at risk will be removed by our staff.
Report Concerns
If a user makes you feel unsafe or displays concerning behavior, use the 📬｜report channel. Learn how to report.
No Discussions Of Religion Or Politics Are Allowed
Users are asked to steer clear of controversial topics, including – but not limited to – political and religious content. These topics can be very personal for many individuals. There are no exceptions to this rule.
No Scams, Harassment, Or Spamming Is Allowed.
Non-exhaustive examples include sharing promotions, advertisements, Discord server invites, illegal or pirated content, spam, troll, scam, hoist, use channels incorrectly, impersonate staff, role-play in server, post AI art, or share another creator’s content without credit.
HSR Chat considers spam to be any repetitive, redundant, or similar content which has been posted multiple times or excessively within a single message over any duration, caused a disruption, cluttered chat, or been flagged as a disturbance by our staff team.
Spam may look like posting the same or similar message outside of appropriate context over the duration of a week, such as “I love beans”, or sending the same character or character combination within a single message, such as “aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”.
Contribute To Healthy Community Culture
We maintain an inclusive and safe community. Help us keep it that way! Don’t push server rules, or encourage others to do so. Be considerate and respectful. Uphold the spirit of our rules, which are subject to change. Always follow Discord’s Community Guidelines.
Using One Account
Our users must utilize only one Discord account in our Discord server. Using another account (an “alt” account) makes moderation difficult for our staff.
English Only
All content within The Homeschooler’s Chat must be in English, the language our staff team has in common. This allows our entire team to moderate easily and without delay.
Users Must Ask Before Sending Private Messages
Do not send friend requests or messages to members without asking. Sending unwelcome messages or friend requests can result in a ban. This is for the safety and comfort of our community. We understand that Discord may be a new platform for many, and misunderstandings happen. We judge these instances on a case-by-case basis.
No Inappropriate Conduct Is Permitted
Users may not create a negative environment directly or indirectly through behaviors such as hate speech, harassment, provocation, vague-posting, making advances, boasting, social comparison, venting, arguing with staff, complaining about HSRC or moderation, forming cliques, discussing self-harm, or claiming self-diagnosed medical conditions (hypothesizing is okay). No hate, bullying, discrimination, or jokes based on protected characteristics is permitted.
Be Kind And Use Good Judgement
Always use your best judgement in this community. Our users are expected to exercise good conduct and act with the spirit of our rules in mind. This is not an exhaustive list of what is and isn’t acceptable behavior.
Adult (19+) Policy
Adults in The Homeschooler’s Chat’s Discord server should be our @Alumni or parents joining with or ahead of their student(s).
Our @Alumni are users who joined as minors and have since graduated. Their presence completes our community. Other new adults (19+) joining HSR Chat may be removed at any time.
Existing members who hit 18+ can inform staff once they have graduated to receive the special @Alumni role.
Moderation
Staff moderate case-by-case and will take action as necessary to keep HSRC healthy, positive, and safe. We do not offer a ban appeal system. All moderation actions are final. There is zero tolerance for aggression or hateful conduct of any form within The Homeschooler’s Chat.
Our Community Is LGBTQ+ Friendly
We happily welcome LGBTQ+ individuals to our group, and make it our goal to keep our space comfortable and stress-free for all. Any homophobic or transphobic behavior will result in permanent removal from our server. No hateful jokes, narratives, profiles, or off-platform behavior is tolerated.
Sharing External Links
To keep our community free from any internet dangers such as scams, viruses, or content that may not follow our guidelines we have safeguards against sharing external links within The Homeschooler’s Chat. There is a designated area for sharing links which is monitored by our staff. We also have a system in place that only permits additional link sharing to those of our members who have been active participants of our community for an adequate length of time, in order to dissuade potential scam or virus sharing from bots or trolls.
Visual Media Guidelines
Although we already have existing PG-13 content limit, we also acknowledge that there can be some content on the internet that can be distressing while still falling withing the PG-13 umbrella. For this reason we utilize Discord’s built-in “spoiler” feature which allows users to hide the content of their message behind a clickable bar which can be used to reveal the content, or be ignored if one does not wish to see that kind of media or text. Our automatic moderation tools still detect any words or terms that violate our guidelines behind “spoilers”. Some of the types of content that we require spoilers for are arachnids, snakes, blood, and anything that can cause heavy strain on the eyes.
Non-Homeschoolers
Although this is a group mainly for homeschoolers, we know it can still be hard to make friends when attending traditional school. We happily welcome non-homeschoolers who respect and follow our rules and guidelines. Many of our members have fluctuated between traditional school and at-home school since joining our community.
Discord’s Terms Of Service
Our community abides by Discord’s Terms of Service. As such, all of our users must do the same. By using Discord’s platform, you are agreeing to their Terms of Service. Failing to comply with those terms will result in removal from our community. Most commonly applicable to our group is Discord’s compliance with the Children’s Online Protection Privacy Act in the U.S., and similar laws around the world. For our users in the United States, this means you must be over the age of 13 to use Discord’s platform. Discord maintains a list of age requirements by country, which you can view here.
In addition to Discord’s Terms of Service, we also comply with Discord’s Community Guidelines. Our users are expected to do the same. Of course, failure to follow Discord’s Community Guidelines will result in removal from the group.
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