The grading system in schools traditionally uses the letters A, B, C, D, and F to represent different levels of achievement. However, you may have noticed that the letter E is missing from this sequence. This absence may seem perplexing at first, but there is a reason behind it.
Contrary to popular belief, the omission of the letter E in school grades has nothing to do with having too many letters. The real reason is rather amusing. It turns out that parents were the source of the confusion. In the past, teachers used to send failing students home with an E-grade. However, instead of understanding it as a failing grade, many parents mistakenly believed that E meant excellent. This misunderstanding led to parents being proud of their children’s supposedly excellent performance, when in reality, it indicated the opposite.
To avoid this confusion, the letter E was eventually dropped from the grading system. Instead, the letter F was introduced to represent failure. This change has made the grading system more straightforward and less prone to misinterpretation.
While the absence of the letter E may still be puzzling for many, understanding the historical context behind it sheds light on why the grading system is structured the way it is today. So, the next time you see a report card without the letter E, remember that it was a simple solution to avoid parental confusion and ensure accurate representation of students’ performance.