The Case Against Cursive Redux

This week's Newsweek (the U.S. edition, at least) features a fun essay supporting the eradication of cursive handwriting from education. As you know, Gentle Reader, I'm all for getting rid of this waste of time, and it's nice that a national publication is giving the topic some column space.

Among the things that essayist Jessica Bennett notes is that people who support the teaching and use of script have used various arguments to bolster their position, including research. One study that she gives as an example uncovered "that the majority of primary-school teachers believe that students with fluent handwriting produce better work." Bennett adds immediately, "though it seems just as likely that the teachers might 'believe' that because legible handwriting makes their jobs easier."

Perhaps if teachers just gave students time (more than the 15 minutes Bennett says is the average amount devoted to penmanship in class these days) to practice writing legibly in whatever style comes naturally, be it cursive or print, more people would enjoy the art of handwriting. Perhaps we should stop calling handwriting an art so as to remove the pressure to make using a pen or pencil with paper to record thoughts some kind of masterpiece. Let's face it--jotting down a few grocery items on the back of an envelope or expired coupon when you're waiting at a red light ain't like painting the friggin' Sistine Chapel. Nor should it be.