What is a Gebser Letter?

What is a Gebser letter? If bullying is serious enough that it creates “a hostile environment” — in other words, it is repeated, intentional, and impedes the child’s ability to access their education or affects their health (for example, by making them want to skip school or preventing them from using the bathroom) — and the school is aware of the bullying and doesn’t respond appropriately to stop it, this is considered a harassment violation. In this case, a parent may need to write a Gebser letter. Named after a 1998 Supreme Court ruling, a Gebser letter is a signal to the school that the child is being discriminated against by the school’s inattention to the issue. It is also the first step toward making a formal disability discrimination complaint with the OCR.

For more information about Gebser letters, check out our article: Gebser Letters: The Most Important Thing to Do for Bullying You Haven't Heard of.