A 2021 study revealed that an alarming 70% of Americans struggle to read notes or reports from their colleagues, while 45% admit they can’t even decipher their own handwriting.
The study also found that the most frequently misread items include shopping lists, notes to colleagues, birthday cards, and thank-you notes.
Some people shared that the inability to write in cursive makes signing important documents a stressful task.
“My 20-year-old granddaughter struggles to sign a check,” Kimberly Jacovino of Monroe, Connecticut, told the Daily Mail. “It is very important, and [cursive] should be brought back to all schools.”
Recognizing the importance of preserving and practicing cursive handwriting, 24 states – as of 2024 – have reversed their earlier decisions to eliminate it from the curriculum and now require it to be taught.
However, not all schools are reintroducing cursive, and some even discourage young children from using it.
Student warned for using cursive
In 2015, seven-year-old Alyssa submitted her assignment on short vowels but was reprimanded for writing her name in loopy, flowing letters.
Her teacher marked the top of her lesson sheet with red pen, writing: “Stop writing your name in cursive. You have had several warnings.”
Brenda Hatcher, a friend of Alyssa’s mom, took a photo of the child’s assignment and posted it on Facebook, though the post has since been deleted.
Hatcher captioned the photo, “Share this everywhere… Alyssa is 7!!! Not only is her mother a military veteran but, she took the time to teach her very young child how to write in cursive.”
According to PopSugar, the incident allegedly occurred in Kansas, a state where there’s currently no legal requirement for students to learn cursive.
The outlet noted that the social media post sparked divided opinions, with some criticizing the teacher for reprimanding the child, while others argued that the child “needs to follow directions.”
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