NO! Cursive Writing Instruction has NOT been cancelled in the U.S.A., however it has declined significantly. This decline began around 2010 with many states adopting the Common Core State Standards which did not require Cursive Writing Instruction.[1] The Common Core State Standards acknowledged the rise of technology and placed emphasis on skills like typing and keyboarding.[2] In 2011, 41 states adopted the Common Core State Standards and removed their requirement for Cursive Writing Instruction in the respective state curriculum.[3]

However, there’s been a growing movement to reintroduce Cursive Writing Instruction as an integral component of the educational process. As of July 2024, 25 states require cursive writing instruction in their public schools. Additionally, the States of California, New Hampshire, Kentucky, and Iowa have recently passed legislation or revised educational standards to include Cursive Writing Instruction.[4]

Arguments for the return of Cursive Writing Instruction include potential improvement in cognitive development, memory, and motor skills.There is also some evidence suggesting that cursive might help combat plagiarism. Additionally, it is believed that it’s important for students to be able to read historical documents in their original cursive form and connect with the past.

In summary, Cursive Writing Instruction has NOT been cancelled and is in fact making a comeback in many states of this country. It is imperative that Michigan and Detroit join this movement to restore required Cursive Writing Instruction to the curriculum of our public schools.

References:

1. Rueb, Emily (April 13, 2019). “Cursive Seemed to Go the Way of Quills and Parchment. Now It’s Coming Back”.  https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/13/education/cursive-writing.html?fal The New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
2. “Schools Debate Cursive Handwriting Instruction Nationwide”. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/30/cursive-handwriting-instr_n_842069.html The Huffington Post. May 30, 2011. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
3. “Tossing the Script: The End of the Line for Cursive?”. https://abcnews.go.com/US/end-cursive/story?id=12749517 ABC News. January 24, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2024
4. “The 25 States that Require Cursive Writing”. https://mycursive.com/the-14-states-that-require-cursive-writing-state-by-state/ mycursive.com. February 20, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2024.

by Theo Broughton, Al Martin