Add get-accessor helper for discussions plugins

openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/models.py

 """
 Provide django models to back the discussions app
 """
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.db import models
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
@@ -75,8 +77,16 @@ class DiscussionsConfiguration(TimeStampedModel):
 
         Default to False, if no configuration exists
         """
+        configuration = cls.get(context_key)
+        return configuration.enabled
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get(cls, context_key) -> cls:
+        """
+        Lookup a model by context_key
+        """
         try:
             configuration = cls.objects.get(context_key=context_key)
         except cls.DoesNotExist:
-            return False
-        return configuration.enabled
+            configuration = cls(context_key=context_key, enabled=False)
+        return configuration

openedx/core/djangoapps/discussions/tests/test_models.py

@@ -103,3 +103,36 @@ class DiscussionsConfigurationModelTest(TestCase):
         """
         is_enabled = DiscussionsConfiguration.is_enabled(self.course_key_with_values)
         assert not is_enabled
+
+    def test_get_nonexistent(self):
+        """
+        Assert we get an "empty" model back for nonexistent records
+        """
+        configuration = DiscussionsConfiguration.get(self.course_key_without_config)
+        assert configuration is not None
+        assert not configuration.enabled
+        assert not configuration.lti_configuration
+        assert not configuration.plugin_configuration
+        assert not configuration.provider_type
+
+    def test_get_defaults(self):
+        """
+        Assert we can lookup a record with default values
+        """
+        configuration = DiscussionsConfiguration.get(self.course_key_with_defaults)
+        assert configuration is not None
+        assert configuration.enabled
+        assert not configuration.lti_configuration
+        assert not configuration.plugin_configuration
+        assert not configuration.provider_type
+
+    def test_get_explicit(self):
+        """
+        Assert we can lookup a record with explicitly-set values
+        """
+        configuration = DiscussionsConfiguration.get(self.course_key_with_values)
+        assert configuration is not None
+        assert not configuration.enabled
+        assert not configuration.lti_configuration
+        assert configuration.plugin_configuration
+        assert configuration.provider_type == 'cs_comments_service'