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Abolish the degrading F grade, mother urges
🇸🇪 Sweden /Culture & Society

Abolish the degrading F grade, mother urges

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Named sources Context piece
  • A mother argues for the abolition of the "F" grade in Sweden's school system, calling it degrading.
  • She states that the F grade closes doors for students, potentially impacting their future lifelong.
  • The current system is criticized for not reflecting effort and potentially causing significant mental distress among young people.

A Swedish mother is calling for the abolition of the "F" grade, or failing grade, in the country's school system, describing it as degrading and detrimental to students' futures. Carina Nordström argues that while she is not against grading itself, grades must be fair and offer opportunities rather than shut doors.

I am not against grades, but they must be fair and show possibilities, not close doors.

— Carina NordströmA mother advocating for changes to Sweden's grading system.

Nordström highlights that receiving an F in a core subject can sideline students for extended periods, potentially affecting them for the rest of their lives. She expresses despair over the system's persistence, questioning how it has been allowed to continue without change and how many more children must suffer before reforms are made. She points to numerous studies and statistics indicating that the school system and its grading are significant contributors to the poor mental health observed in teenagers and young adults.

Take away the degrading F grade as soon as possible.

— Carina NordströmA mother calling for the immediate removal of the failing grade in Swedish schools.

She contrasts the current system with her own school experience in the 1970s and 80s. Back then, a grade of 1 (for attendance) or 2 (for attendance and effort) could still lead to a final grade and allow students to pursue further education or careers. Today, the grading scale has changed, with a 3 equivalent to an E, the lowest passing grade. Nordström notes that even with attendance and effort, students can still receive an F, barring them from all theoretical and practical upper secondary education programs.

If you get an F in a core subject, you are sidelined and failed for a long time to come, perhaps even for the rest of your life.

— Carina NordströmA mother describing the long-term consequences of receiving a failing grade in Sweden.

"I am not against grades, but they must be fair and show possibilities, not close doors," Nordström writes. She believes the F grade, in particular, is a major problem that should never have been introduced. The current system, she contends, leads to early setbacks, potentially as early as sixth grade, and significantly impacts students' self-esteem and future prospects, creating a sense of inferiority compared to their peers.

How many more children must suffer and have their future plans ruined before something happens?

— Carina NordströmA mother expressing frustration over the lack of reform in Sweden's school grading system.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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