Can I block or 'mute' a specific person?

It is possible to mute another member if you feel you don't want to receive any more private messages from them. This feature can be a be a non-confrontational way to settle any friction between individuals, but note that the muted individual will not be notified that they are muted. It will not prevent the muted parent from posting to groups or classes etc, and if they are included in a joint private message thread you will also see their messages.

The process is very straightforward: search for the parent in your Classlist page and click their name to bring up their profile. At the very top right of the page there are 3 dots for a menu, and on there is a 'Mute' option. Click this to mute the person from private messaging you.  You can click again to undo at a later date if you wish.