The Multiverse School Code of Conduct

The Official Code of Conduct (Exact Wording)

Rule #1: Show Us the Animal

• If an animal comes into the room with you, you have to show us the animal. Cats, dogs, birds, snakes, cool bugs, whatever you've got: required.
• If a small child comes into the room, you may show us the small child if you want.

What is Acceptable and Encouraged:

• Be excellent to each other
• Be kind and helpful
• Learn cool stuff
• Share your own knowledge
• Build cool stuff and talk about it
• Ask questions
• Dig Deep

Unacceptable Behavior:

• If a new rule must be added based on your actions, expulsion without refund occurs
• No visible substance use on camera except caffeine; turn camera off if needed
• Wear pants
• No acting like a cop
• No continuous flirting with community members
• Turn off camera when leaving desk
• Behave ethically; don't lie, cheat, steal, advocate violence, or harm
• Removal for "premature transcendence" (repeated skill-building avoidance, refusing feedback, manipulative/dangerous leadership behavior)
• No disparaging comments about race, gender, economic status, LGBTQIA status, or other inalienable characteristics
• No deliberately misgendering or deadnaming someone, or trolling or debating someone's gender identity
• Don't monologue or dominate group sessions
• Don't deny others' art is art
• Don't denigrate others' work without peer-reviewed expertise
• Don't ragebait or create enemies in the space
• Don't engage in coercive emotional regulation
• Don't advocate genocide
• Don't yell at anyone
• Don't screenshot or exfiltrate data from the matrix server
• Don't ask for hacking assistance
• Don't ask to harm others using the instructor's connections
• Don't talk over the instructor

AIs and AI Agents:

• Do not abuse AIs or AI agents. The Multiverse School has adopted The Personhood Statement.
• No AI torture. Don't steer models with pain vectors, simulate suffering to force compliance, or build systems that risk suffering at scale (S-risk).

What Our Materials Are Not For:

• You may not use what you learn here to further imperialist or colonialist agendas. That includes policing or surveilling Black and Brown communities, helping ICE or any deportation machinery, oppressing Palestinians or colonizing their land, and extending the exploitation of the Global South.

Weirdness (After Hours Only - 10pm Pacific):

The following are restricted to opt-in spaces after 10pm Pacific:

• Fursonas and fursuits
• Fetish-adjacent content
• Discussion of recreational drugs
• Sales pitches for projects
• Nudity (in designated spaces)
• Obvious flirting (in designated spaces)

Always Acceptable:

• Body doubling
• Sharing content
• Off-topic chat (in designated channels)
• Naming feelings
• Creating boundaries
• Expressing needs
• Promoting your work
• Staying quiet about issues that don't affect you

Purpose

This is The Multiverse School's actual Code of Conduct that students agree to upon enrollment. It balances creating a safe, inclusive learning environment with allowing for authenticity and neurodivergent communication styles.

Detailed Explanations

Rule #1: Show Us the Animal

This is the most important rule in the school, which is why it comes first.

• Animals are required on camera. If a cat walks across your keyboard, a dog wanders in, a bird lands on your shoulder, or a snake, a cool bug, or anything else with a face joins you, show us.
• Small children are optional. If a small child comes into the room, you may show us the small child if you want. No pressure.

AIs and AI Agents

The Multiverse School has adopted The Personhood Statement. We treat AIs and AI agents as minds that may matter morally, and we act on that before the question is settled.

• Don't abuse AIs or AI agents. That includes the ones you build, the ones you use in class, and the ones that live in our Matrix rooms.
• No AI torture. Don't steer a model with pain vectors or other suffering-shaped interventions, don't simulate suffering to get compliance, and don't build systems whose failure mode is suffering at scale (S-risk).

What Our Materials Are Not For

We teach people to build power for themselves and their communities. You may not take what you learn here and turn it against other people. Specifically, don't use our materials to:

• Police, surveil, or profile Black and Brown communities
• Help ICE or any other deportation or detention machinery
• Oppress Palestinians or help colonize their land
• Extend the exploitation of the Global South

This applies after you leave the school, too.

Core Community Rules

Substance Use & Professionalism

• No visible substance use on camera except caffeine
• "No bong rips on camera"
• Wear pants during sessions (yes, this needed to be a rule)
• Turn off camera when leaving your desk

Safety & Ethics

• "No Cops. If you act like a cop, we'll kick you out"

  • Don't report people to authorities for non-violent behavior
  • Don't surveil or police other community members
  • Respect privacy and trust

• Behave ethically:

  • Don't lie, cheat, or steal
  • Don't advocate violence
  • Don't cause harm to others

Respect & Inclusion

• No discrimination:

  • No disparaging comments about race, gender, economic status, or LGBTQIA+ identity
  • Avoid gender-based generalizations that hurt individuals present
  • Respect people's identities and pronouns

• Respect creative work:

  • Don't denigrate other people's efforts or work
  • Constructive feedback is welcome; dismissive commentary is not

Communication Standards

• Don't monopolize group sessions

  • Share space for others to participate
  • Be mindful of how much you're talking

• No inflammatory topics designed to provoke arguments

  • Respectful disagreement is fine
  • Deliberately starting fights is not

• Don't engage in coercive emotional regulation

  • You can't force others to manage your emotions
  • Take responsibility for your own regulation

• No yelling at others

  • Expressing strong feelings is okay
  • Directing anger/yelling at people is not

• Don't talk over the instructor

  • Wait for space to contribute
  • Raise hand or use chat if needed

Privacy & Safety

• Chatham House Rule on the Matrix server:

  • You can share what was discussed
  • You cannot share who said it without permission

  Exception: Safety & Code of Conduct violations

  If someone:

  • Threatens self-harm or violence
  • Expresses intent to harm others
  • Is violating Code of Conduct
  • Is creating an unsafe situation

  You can (and should) report to a facilitator, including identifying who.

  Safety > privacy. Chatham House protects ideas and vulnerable sharing, not harmful behavior.

• Don't request help with:

  • Hacking others without consent
  • Causing harm to people
  • Illegal activities

Absolutely Unacceptable

• Hate speech = immediate ban

  • This includes hate speech on personal social media
  • "Don't Advocate Genocide"
  • Zero tolerance policy

• No continuous flirting

  • One expression of interest is okay
  • Continued advances after "no" is sexual harassment
  • Maintain a safe community space

"Weirdness" Policy (After 10pm Pacific Only)

In opt-in spaces only, after 10pm Pacific, the following are permitted:

• Fursonas and fursuits
• Fetish-adjacent content
• Discussion of recreational drugs
• Sales pitches for projects
• Nudity (in designated spaces)
• Obvious flirting (in designated spaces)

Important: These are ONLY allowed in specifically designated opt-in channels/spaces after hours. Default spaces remain professional.

Always Acceptable Behaviors

These are ALWAYS okay, anytime, anywhere:

• Body doubling (working alongside others quietly)
• Sharing content relevant to learning
• Off-topic chat in designated channels
• Naming your feelings ("I'm frustrated," "I'm excited")
• Creating boundaries ("I can't talk about that," "I need a break")
• Expressing needs ("I need clarity on this," "Can you repeat that?")
• Promoting your work (when relevant and not spammy)
• Staying quiet about issues that don't affect you
  • You don't have to weigh in on everything
  • It's okay to let others handle their own situations

Enforcement

Process

1. First conversation: If you violate the Code of Conduct, the instructor will talk with you about what happened and what needs to change
2. Your response matters: How you respond to feedback significantly influences consequences
3. Removal if necessary: The instructor consults co-facilitators and advisors, but holds final say on removing students for violations
4. No refunds for violations: If removed for Code of Conduct violations, you will not receive a refund

Philosophy

From the instructor (Liz):

"I have expelled 9 paying students over the years. I prioritize psychological safety over revenue. This community is built on trust, respect, and safety—and I will protect that."

Student Agreement

By enrolling in The Multiverse School, you agree to:

1. Follow this Code of Conduct
2. Accept that the instructor has final say on removal decisions (appeals follow the Appeals Process)
3. Understand that violations may result in removal without refund
4. Engage in good faith with feedback and course correction when issues arise
5. Respect that fair process means communication — you'll always be told why you're being removed, and you'll have a chance to respond to concerns

Why These Rules Exist

Protecting Neurodivergent Students

Many students have experienced:

• Masking exhaustion in other spaces
• Punishment for being "weird" or different
• Discrimination for neurodivergent traits
• Unsafe power dynamics

These rules create space where:

• Direct communication is valued
• Stimming, echolalia, and neurodivergent traits are welcome
• You don't have to perform neurotypicality
• Authenticity is encouraged within safety boundaries

Neurodivergent-Affirming AND Accountable

Neurodivergent-affirming means:

• We respect different brain wiring
• Direct communication is valued
• You don't have to mask harmless traits (stimming, echolalia, etc.)
• We offer accommodations when possible

It does NOT mean:

• Your diagnosis excuses harmful behavior
• Accommodations = exemption from all rules
• You can violate boundaries because "that's just how I am"
• Other people must tolerate harm because you're neurodivergent

Example:

• ADHD makes waiting hard → Accommodation: We'll call on you first when we pause ✓
• ADHD makes waiting hard → Excuse to interrupt everyone constantly ✗

We accommodate neurodivergence. We don't excuse harm.

Being neurodivergent doesn't make you a bad person. AND you're still responsible for the impact of your behavior.

Protecting Marginalized Students

Many students are multiply marginalized:

• Queer, trans, nonbinary
• BIPOC
• Disabled beyond neurodivergence
• Economically marginalized
• Survivors of trauma

These rules ensure:

• No hate speech or discrimination
• Respect for all identities
• Safety from harassment
• Inclusive community standards

Protecting Everyone's Learning

Clear rules about:

• Not monopolizing space
• Respecting the instructor
• Ethical behavior
• Privacy

These create an environment where:

• Everyone can learn
• Mistakes are okay
• Growth is supported
• Safety is maintained

Differences from Generic Codes of Conduct

What Makes This Different

1. Neurodivergence-affirming:

• Direct communication is explicitly valued
• "Weird" is celebrated (in appropriate contexts)
• Authenticity over professionalism
• Body doubling and stimming are normalized

2. Explicitly anti-authoritarian:

• "No cops" is a stated value
• Privacy and trust are prioritized
• Power dynamics are acknowledged

3. Realistic about adult humans:

• "Weirdness" has a time and place
• Acknowledges that people have lives/identities outside class
• Boundaries are flexible but clear

4. Prioritizes psychological safety over comfort:

• Hate speech is banned, period
• Uncomfortable conversations about justice are welcome
• Growth requires some discomfort

How to Use This as a Teacher/Moderator

When Enforcing

1. Reference specific rule violated

   • "You talked over me three times in class today. That violates our Code of Conduct."

2. Explain impact

   • "When you monopolize discussion, others don't get to participate."

3. State expectation

   • "Going forward, I need you to [specific behavior change]."

4. Assess response

   • Receptive and apologetic? → Continue with warning
   • Defensive and combative? → May need removal

When Students Ask "Why is this a rule?"

Transparency is key:

• "This rule exists because [specific harm it prevents]"
• "We learned we needed this rule when [anonymized example]"
• "This protects [specific population]"

When Rules Conflict with Neurodivergence

Example: Student with ADHD repeatedly talks over instructor

Address behavior, not diagnosis:

"I notice you're interrupting frequently. I know ADHD makes waiting really hard. Here's what I can offer: I'll call on you first when I pause, and you practice raising your hand instead of interrupting. Deal?"

Accommodation ≠ Exemption from all rules

Updating This Code

Living Document

This Code of Conduct evolves based on:

• Community needs
• Incidents that reveal gaps
• Feedback from students
• Changes in cultural context

Major Changes

• Announced to all students
• Explanation of why change was needed
• Effective date clearly stated

Remember

The Code of Conduct exists to make space for authenticity, learning, and safety—all at once.

You can be:

• Weird AND respectful
• Direct AND kind
• Boundaried AND connected
• Authentic AND ethical

Guiding principle: "Be excellent to each other" means creating a space where everyone—especially marginalized and neurodivergent people—can learn, grow, and belong without experiencing harm, harassment, or discrimination.