Question of the day
Monday, May 1, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* One never knows at the beginning of a spring session which bills will jump out and get a lot of media attention. Cursive lessons is one of those bills this year…
Cursive handwriting lessons — which in recent years have become almost as obsolete as chalkboards — might be headed for a comeback in Illinois schools as a result of one suburban lawmaker’s quest.
State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, a Westchester Democrat, tells me his legislation that would require Illinois schools to teach cursive handwriting came out of a dinner-table conversation with his wife, Shawnte.
“You know, schools don’t require cursive to be taught anymore,” he recalls her telling him. Welch said he was startled to learn only a dozen or so states have cursive requirements. The change is due, in part, to the nationally recognized Common Core Standards, which no longer require handwriting instruction.
Illinois has never required cursive as a statewide learning standard, and the State Board of Education is neutral on the bill.
* Tribune…
Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, the Hillside Democrat pushing the state requirement, said schools would not have to create a separate cursive class. Instead, they could incorporate it into existing courses. […]
And advocates including the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation say cursive improves students’ reading, spelling and retention skills, as well as making them more focused. “It really benefits them in a lot of ways,” said Sheila Lowe, the foundation’s president.
Not everyone is convinced. Some opponents say that the state shouldn’t make the decision for local schools and that a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work well. […]
When the plan was called for a vote in the Illinois House this week, it did win the support of some Republicans and advanced to the Senate by a 67-48 vote. After all, one lawmaker contended, the state already requires the teaching of all kinds of things.
“Yes, it is an issue of local control, but if you look at the school code, outside of the core studies, we have mandated a course of instruction on Bird and Arbor Day, on ‘Just Say No’ day, on Irish famine study,” said Rep. David Harris, R-Arlington Heights. “Really? Irish famine study? I think cursive could be just as important as Irish famine study.”
* Opposition can be summed up in two words, but this was the best example I could find…
* The Question: Should schools be required by the state to at least incorporate cursive instructions into their lesson plans? Click here to take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
- John Rawlss - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:10 pm:
We need less top down springfield regulations, not more. If a school wants to teach cursive, let em. If not, who cares. Not everything needs to be legislated.
- East Central Illinois - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:10 pm:
No. Just stop with the unfunded mandates. When, or more probably IF, the Governor can sign his name in cursive at the bottom of a balanced State of Illinois budget plan, then . . . MAYBE.
- Ahoy! - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:10 pm:
I don’t have a strong opinion on this, but as a parent, I want my school to teach my kids cursive as part of writing. To those who think this an unfunded mandate, how much does this really cost? Because this seems like one of those easy attacks that if removed would save very little to zero.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:12 pm:
== “Really? Irish famine study? I think cursive could be just as important as Irish famine study.” ==
Irish famine study is an interesting example given today’s political climate:
“Throughout the entire period of the Famine, Ireland was exporting enormous quantities of food to England. In Ireland Before and After the Famine, Cormac O’Grada points out, “Although the potato crop failed, the country was still producing and exporting more than enough grain crops to feed the population. But that was a “money crop” and not a “food crop” and could not be interfered with.” Up to 75 percent of Irish soil was devoted to wheat, oats, barley and other crops that were grown for export and shipped abroad while the people starved.”
http://ighm.org/exports-in-famine-times/
- Gruntled University Employee - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:14 pm:
I voted no but only because my generation is planning on using cursive writing as a “secret code” in our old age.
- Demoralized - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:15 pm:
No. Who cares if someone can write in cursive. They need to be able to write coherent sentences. That doesn’t require cursive writing.
- Red Ranger - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:15 pm:
Legislation that stems from a legislator’s one-time negative experience are usually bad ideas.
- Chicagonk - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:16 pm:
Unfunded mandates - More distraction from Springfield from actual issues such as a budget or pensions.
- PublicServant - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:16 pm:
Right now it’s not just mandates that are unfunded, so I vote … wait, what does Rauner want me to do?
#DontwantAPrimary
- Sir Reel - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:18 pm:
No
Until the State adequately funds education, feel good ideas like this take money away from everything else.
Plus, I worry about any legislation cooked up over the dinner table.
- Yo - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:21 pm:
Nope, and we can only hope he doesn’t continue to have these exclusive conversations that result in even more proposed mandates- silly stuff while Rome is BURNING as well. Let’s focus on the budget for K-12 before we even think about more and more mandates.
- Responsa - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:27 pm:
There is a reason to care about this issue. As a long time election judge in Illinois–a state without voter ID photos–(in other words a state that relies on the unique signature verification at the polling place)–printed sigs all look alike and DO NOT Work for verification purposes.
Get rid of cursive entirely in this generation and we will have to implement voter photo IDs or use fingerprints. or eye scans.
- Sue - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:28 pm:
No one should doubt the value of last names in Springfield
- Anon221 - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:30 pm:
Voted Yes for incorporation into the current curriculum. If nothing else, each student should be able to LEGIBILY sign their name.
- Decaf Coffee Party - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:30 pm:
Talk about your mixed messages. The state demands accountability that measures how well students, schools and districts do in math, reading, science and English language arts…and then keeps adding to the list of well more than 100 unfunded educational mandates that have nothing to do with the things for which schools are held accountable.
It’s more than a drain on financial resources at a time when the state is not coming close to living up to its responsibility to fund public education; it’s also a drain on classroom time that already is stretched thin by all of the other state mandates.
Like all unfunded mandates other than those involving student safety or civil rights, this is an issue best left up to local school board members who were elected to represent their communities.
- Just Me - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:30 pm:
I find it odd that we’re going to require cursive handwriting, but not keyboarding, which is far more valuable.
- Downstater - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:33 pm:
Voted No. Do I think cursive should be taught in school? Yes. Do I think there should be a law requiring school teach cursive? No!
- Retiree - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:34 pm:
Not only can most people not read, they can’t write. How are future generations going to sign their names to contracts (mortgage contracts come to mind)?
Reading and writing should still be taught,and understanding what they read and wrote should be right up there.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:37 pm:
I can’t help Mr. Demmer just can’t do more than one thing at a time. Very telling. Very telling too, the “no” vote, “I can’t do other things, so I’ll vote ‘red’ until I can do that one thing I think I can do!”
To the Post,
I think knowing how to write to sign things like contracts or I guess we want devolve and maybe do Egypian picture thingies…
Give a 2 day working on how to use cursive and be done with it.
- Timmeh - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:43 pm:
I don’t know about unfunded mandates as much as wasted classtime. I remember having cursive lessons up until the end of 3rd grade with time devoted to it being similar to math or reading. I don’t use cursive for anything other than a signature now that I’m an adult. Printing takes far less practice to create readable writing and it is already taught and used everywhere. Dropping cursive is the practical thing to do.
- Timmeh - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:46 pm:
“If nothing else, each student should be able to LEGIBILY sign their name.”
I would assume that is what the schools that “don’t require cursive” are doing.
- Responsa - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:52 pm:
==I would assume that is what the schools that “don’t require cursive” are doing.==
2nd grade teachers are not necessarily expected to consider signatures for loans, contract signings and voter verification. School administrators should be, though.
- NobodysAccountable - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:56 pm:
Yes. How is anyone going to be able to read the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Emancipation Proclamation and other historical documents? Penmanship used to be a coveted art.
- Langhorne - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:57 pm:
1. Impose unfunded mandates.
2. Freeze property taxes.
- 47th Ward - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 1:58 pm:
It would probably be a better use of time to teach students some basic on-line privacy & internet safety skills. Last I checked, the letters on my keyboard weren’t in cursive, and kids today need all the help they can get trying to navigate the sometimes dark world of on-line and social media activity.
- Downstate Illinois - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:00 pm:
Kids need to be able to sign their name. Legally we do require that for documents and items such as requesting a ballot in elections. If we look at education as workforce development I’m not go Big tonlook favorably at someone who can’t sign a job application.
- Norseman - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:02 pm:
No. Keyboarding is more important to today’s students. If parents want their kids to know cursive, there’s an app for that.
- #5 - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:06 pm:
47th Ward +1
I use a keyboard everyday. Other than signing my name, I can’t remember the last time I wrote something in cursive. I would much rather my soon to be 2nd grader start learning correct typing skills which will be useful for him everyday.
- jimk849 - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:07 pm:
The kids only need to learn twitter u no
- zatoichi - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:20 pm:
‘If a school wants to teach cursive, let em. If not, who cares.’ Change ‘cursive’ to science, reading, anatomy, math, or any other academic skill and it hits the point. Cursive is not easy. It’s the sustained effort needed to learn a task that is important. Those unneeded phonics and cursive instructions from Mrs. Fischer from long time ago still pop out in my work all the time.
- Bob Cobb - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:21 pm:
Learning cursive is a waste of valuable time. Even if schools cover cursive for just a few days in 3rd or 4th grade, how many students will forget it by the time they have to actually sign checks, contracts, etc.? As others have said, focus on keyboarding and constructing coherent sentences. Cursive had it’s day, but it’s time to move on.
- Yo - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:25 pm:
Willy
-Give a 2 day working on how to use cursive and be done with it. -
Really, just two days and cursive would be learned? What makes you think it takes only two days?
- My New Handle - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:29 pm:
Of course cursive should be taught. There are graduate students who can’t read old records because they are written cursive. It’s not, or should be an unfunded mandate. It is part of a basic education. Whose idea was it to stop teaching cursive, anyway. I get tired of reading letters to my 20something son from his grandmother.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:30 pm:
- Yo -
Considering it should be taught in grade school, 2 days in High School is enough
- Bogey Golfer - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:35 pm:
It would be desirable, but not a requirement. Voted ‘no’.
- W Flag - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:45 pm:
I vote “YES.” It is a simple series of lessons that would not cost much to implement. Even in a digital age, basic penmanship seems to be worth teaching.
- Just Observing - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:45 pm:
If cursive is an unfunded mandate, so is algebra, physical education, driver’s ed, biology, etc. Cursive is a pretty important skill, not just to sign names, but to also be able to read documents written in cursive. Plus, there is evidence that cursive aids in brain development.
We are going to throw cursive completely out the window because of two decades of technology. I mean… what will happen during the zombie apocalypse and there is no technology
- Anon221 - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:48 pm:
Just choose the cursive font!
Virginia Berninger, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington- “Teaching BOTH of these handwriting formats has advantages, including learning to recognize and write letters despite small variations in letter forms sharing the same name,” she wrote in the NASBE commentary. “Consider all the fonts computer users can choose from for word processing. Apple’s Steve Jobs was an accomplished calligrapher before he became a pioneer in technology tools to support writing—and that is one of the reasons we have so many font styles to choose from in computer writing!”
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/scary-clown-rumors-serious-business-schools/
- Decaf Coffee Party - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 2:51 pm:
So I’m wondering what would be subtracted from the curriculum for however long it is determined to take to teach cursive.
Perhaps PE? No, there is a mandate for that.
How about Driver’s Ed? No, there’s a mandate for that, too.
I know. Reduce standardized tests. My third-grade granddaughter had to take PARCC exams an hour a day for 7 days. Alas, that also is mandated.
Oh well, I’m sure the administrators and teachers will figure it out.
- My New Handle - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:06 pm:
Okay, I was in 2nd grade, parochoal school, 60 years ago. No PE, just recess, and goofing off at lunchtime. We learned how to write cursive, parse sentences, ad, subtract, multiply, divide, civics, history. Yet today, I know how to operate a laptop, a calculator, “keyboard” (high school typing class helped), all sorts of tech-y stuff, without any classroom. In days before my time, Latin and Greek were taught, but no more. Kids are coddled in education these days it seems. We have traded basic skills that taught thinking to punching buttons on machines that think for us. Cursive is a human skill everyone should taught.
- Doomed in Illinois - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:12 pm:
I guess I never thought about it but how do kids who have never learned cursive sign a loan application? Or anything else requiring a signature for that matter?
- Cubs in '16 - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:15 pm:
===each student should be able to LEGIBILY sign their name.===
Yes, just ask physicians.
- wondering - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:16 pm:
No, not because it shouldn’t be taught, but because the state tail is trying to wag the dog. If the state want’s to call the tune the state should pay the band. Up and until the state oays over 50% the folks in Springpatch should have ni say.
- AnonymousOne - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:22 pm:
Hard to say. My young adult kids can’t read my letters to them written in cursive! Like some foreign language to them! They struggle to sign the back of a paycheck (not required much these days anyway) or legal document. My younger one needs to practice a few times before signing! What’s the world coming to? I wish they could write in cursive but with all that is mandated in today’s curriculum, can we blame schools for letting it go by the wayside?
- AnonymousOne - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:25 pm:
==teachers and administrators will figure it out==
They’re the unfortunate assembly line workers, just carrying out the orders from legislators, who create edicts desired by their constituents.
If anyone, for one minute, believes that classroom teachers think hours upon hours and days of testing is good for their students, you don’t know much of anything.
Assembly line workers, doing what their bosses tell them to do.
- Gobblers Knob - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:33 pm:
Sorry kids, no movie in class today. Instead we’ll teach cursive writing. We will teach you how to place your name on a document!
What a terrible unfunded mandate! Lets get back to voting on corn as the state flower!
- Mitzien - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:34 pm:
Cursive writing should never have been discontinued unless you think it’s unimportant that our children won’t be able to read the Declaration of Independence or a letter from Gramma. This is taught in grade school, if you’re taught to print you can be taught to write cursive.
- Right Field - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:40 pm:
Answered NO! When the legislature identifies what it doesn’t want taught in exchange for this, I’ll be happy to listen. Until then, knock off the mandates.
- Yo - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:43 pm:
Willy
-Considering it should be taught in grade school, 2 days in High School is enough -
True enough and then reteach everything else, maybe multiplication tables and basic spelling? The mandate is not just for high schools though….. this is just plain silliness when they should be working on a BUDGET!!!
- Norseman - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:45 pm:
=== There are graduate students who can’t read old records because they are written cursive. ===
By golly, if graduate students can’t read cursive then they can’t read hieroglyphics. We need to teach hieroglyphics in school.
Snark aside, I was taught cursive and I couldn’t read a large number of historical documents when I volunteered to transcribe for a history project. The biggest problem with these documents is poor penmanship. Graduate students and professionals specializing in history will learn to address the issue the same as archeologists learned hieroglyphics.
=== Kids need to be able to sign their name. Legally we do require that for documents and items … ===
First, I taught my sons to spell their name and could easily have taught them to sign their name. Kids are so into tablets, parents can get them an app and work through developing a signature. Second, please show me the law that says your signature has to be in cursive. Third, we’ve already entered the age of digital signatures. Mine is registered with the state. Go get yours. We already have laws that enable folks to electronically sign legal documents.
- Decaf Coffee Party - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:49 pm:
=They’re the unfortunate assembly line workers, just carrying out the orders from legislators, who create edicts desired by their constituents.
If anyone, for one minute, believes that classroom teachers think hours upon hours and days of testing is good for their students, you don’t know much of anything.
Assembly line workers, doing what their bosses tell them to do.=
The statement is somewhat contradictory, no? The hours and hours of testing is, of course, mandated by the legislators, who, according to the statement, created the testing edict desired by their constituents.
My point is those are decisions best left up to locally elected school boards, the representatives closest to their communities.
- Illinois Analyst - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:50 pm:
No, lawmakers need to work on the real issues, stop turning the attention to some bill that wastes time and resources for no beneficial outcome.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 3:51 pm:
===…this is just plain silliness when they should be working on a BUDGET!!!===
Rauner: I’m talking to Cullerton
Cullerton: Yeah. Once
Rauner: We’re close
Cullerton: Will see.
There’s your budget update.
Legislators and legislative bodies can do many things at once. Been going on for as long as there have been legislatures.
Argue like an adult. These bodies can do more than one thing.
When Rauner wants a budget, Mister Demmer will do what Rauner wants and vote for one and Illinois will have that budget.
Until then, Mr. Demmer will tweet kool pictures until he’s told to do otherwise.
- CrazyHorse - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 4:16 pm:
I can’t believe how many people are against teaching cursive. At least we know who was called out for bad penmanship back in the day.
/s
- Interested - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 4:26 pm:
Talk about ballroom dancing on the Titanic! Who cares @ cursive. Today’s students “write” on a keyboard people!
- cdog - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 4:29 pm:
By 9th grade, Chinese students master writing 3000 mandarin characters.
Let that soak in.
- Bob Cobb - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 4:34 pm:
Rabble, rabble, rabble…In my day we learned Morse Code. If kids today don’t learn Morse Code, how are they going to know how to send an S.O.S.?…Rabble, rabble, rabble
- Wensicia - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 4:51 pm:
No, cursive writing should be optional, not mandated. How many students are required to submit papers written in cursive at upper grade levels or college these days? Not many, technology is taught and provided for at most schools these days, with assignments submitted online or printed, not in writing. It’s a good skill to have, but not necessary with today’s curriculum and expectations.
- Keyser Soze - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 5:35 pm:
I learned to write in cursive. I also studied Latin. Of the two, the latter has been the most useful.
- @misterjayem - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 5:46 pm:
I voted no.
Stick with multiplication tables and long division.
– MrJM
- wordslinger - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 5:46 pm:
Is there a problem with something being “unfunded”
these days?
Not so you’d notice.
- Timmeh - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 6:21 pm:
“At least we know who was called out for bad penmanship back in the day.”
Now is the time for my revenge.
- olddog - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 6:34 pm:
The schools already teach cursive, along with printing and keyboard skills. Next question?
- Wensicia - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 6:53 pm:
“Stick with multiplication tables and long division.”
Long since replaced with calculators, MrJM.
- Norseman - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 7:03 pm:
=== The schools already teach cursive, along with printing and keyboard skills. Next question? ===
Great, now we can kill the bill and move on to more important things. Like mandating 2-ply TP for school bathrooms.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, May 1, 17 @ 10:52 pm:
Those teachers and nuns did a heckuva job with Edgar and MJM.
- PDJT - Tuesday, May 2, 17 @ 7:59 am:
It isn’t an unfunded mandate, and I’ll tell you why.
Schools have always taught cursive writing. Now they want to stop teaching it unless additional money is provided. What other basic educational building blocks are they going to threaten if they don’t get additional funds.
People, including myself, have criticized this governor for his lack of leadership, but I think he has indeed been a leader. Just look at how quickly others have picked up the concept of hostage taking.