diff -ur old/lib.php new/lib.php
--- old/lib.php	2009-03-05 19:48:12.000000000 +1100
+++ new/lib.php	2009-03-31 03:24:30.000000000 +1100
@@ -1158,7 +1158,8 @@
         }
         $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_MODULE, $cm->id);
 
-        if (!has_capability('mod/forum:viewdiscussion', $context)) {
+        if (!has_capability('mod/forum:viewdiscussion', $context) &&
+			!has_capability('moodle/user:readuserposts', get_context_instance(CONTEXT_USER, $menteeid))) {
             continue;
         }
 
@@ -1614,7 +1615,14 @@
         // And admins can see all courses, so pass the $doanything flag enabled
         $courses1 = get_records('course', 'id', SITEID);
         $courses2 = get_my_courses($userid, null, null, true);
-        $courses = array_merge($courses1, $courses2);
+		// UPDATE: And parents can see their mentee's courses (if readuserposts selected). 
+		// Look for the relevant role on the possible mentee id.
+		$menteeid = optional_param('id', 0, PARAM_INT);
+		if(has_capability('moodle/user:readuserposts', get_context_instance(CONTEXT_USER, $menteeid))) {
+			$courses3 = get_my_courses($menteeid, null, null, true);
+		}
+		$courses1and2 = array_merge($courses1, $courses2);
+		$courses = array_merge($courses1and2, $courses3);
     }
     if (!$courses) {
         return array();
@@ -4589,6 +4597,7 @@
  */
 function forum_user_can_see_post($forum, $discussion, $post, $user=NULL, $cm=NULL) {
     global $USER;
+	$menteeid = optional_param('id', 0, PARAM_INT);
 
     // retrieve objects (yuk)
     if (is_numeric($forum)) {
@@ -4626,7 +4635,8 @@
     }
 
     if (isset($cm->cache->caps['mod/forum:viewdiscussion'])) {
-        if (!$cm->cache->caps['mod/forum:viewdiscussion']) {
+        if (!$cm->cache->caps['mod/forum:viewdiscussion'] && 
+			!has_capability('moodle/user:readuserposts', get_context_instance(CONTEXT_USER, $menteeid))) {
             return false;
         }
     } else {