Thoughts - Cursive

Day 18

So if you haven't heard Indiana is dropping the teaching of Cursive writing from its curriculum, this is a decision that has been in discussion a lot recently at work. As a lot of our regulars think that dropping cursive is a horrible thing. This means I've been defending the decision a lot lately, as I don't find it to be a big deal. I honestly haven't written in cursive as a regular thing since Jr. High, I guess the easiest way to best cover this subject is to list arguments I've heard and what I consider a decent rebuttal to them.

*note these are all real questions I've defended

1.) How will people sign checks?

Checks are quickly becoming a thing of the past with online payments, debit cards, and many businesses refusing personal checks... but even if you have to write a check... banks will accept a printed signature, I've seen it done before.

2.) What about just signing their names for legal documents?

A signature is just a personal mark that is unique to you... people used to sign with just an X, infact not that long ago they did things like that.  Also a lot of banks do thumbprints and such on important documents/big checks now days so I could see that becoming a quick easy replacement, which is even more secure... that more complicated would be the governemnet computer chiping us! (just kidding)

3.) Cursive is faster way to write.

So was shorthand, but no one teaches that anymore... Also most people who have grown up typing all of their lives can type just as fast if not faster than they can write.

4.) What are kids going to do carry a computer with them everywhere to type?

Well with tablets like the Ipad quickly catching on, whats hard to image about all the kids carrying one to school like a notebook or slate (if we are going way back for a reference) here in 15-20 years?

5.) How will kids read cursive?

As I've heard the Declaration of Independance was written in cursive... how will kids read documents like that! Answer is that if its really important it'll be translated into print form... if its not that univerally needed it'll be like any other research project, if you need to know you'll make the effort to learn how to read it. Try picking up and reading some handwritten notes by famous historical figures who wrote in script... won't be that easy. Honestly working at the Historical Socierty and having to decipher writing from just 100 years ago isn't that easy and has a bit of a learning curve to it, this is something people will figure out if they need to know how to read cursive. In your daily life you probably don't read any cursive writing.

6.) We are losing a language!

Cursive is just callagraphy of the roman alphabet... so its just drawing letters all nice looking... we aren't losing a language.. we are losing a font. If Helvetica disappeared I don't think people would be crying... and some people already hate Comic Sans...

7.) Cursive is an art form!

Dang, you got me there... yes it looks prettier to some people? It is a type of calligraphy and thats never really died out.