Why Isn’t Colorado On The Cursive Writing Bandwagon?

Colorado seems to feel that we don't need to write nicely, anymore. While other states are making it required teaching, what are we teaching Colorado kids, if not to know cursive?

Millions of adults were taught cursive writing in elementary school: the lines, the swoops, the curls; when is the last time any of us actually wrote in cursive, though? Will Colorado join the bandwagon and make it required?

Honestly, you would think more and more states would be opting out of requiring cursive writing to be taught, but California recently jumped on that bandwagon; joining 22 other states to mandate it.

Why does California think that cursive writing is so important?

According to NPR, California wants kids to be able to read old letters from their families' histories, as well as old U.S. documents. That does make a lot of sense. California also sees it as giving kids the opportunity to stand out with their signature.

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Looking at the above chalkboard, I flash to the struggle I endured to learn cursive as a kid at Lincoln Elementary in Loveland. It wasn't fun, but boy, Mom was sure proud when I wrote a letter to Grandma in cursive.

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There's no question that, with it being 50 years since I was in elementary school, things have changed because of computers. I haven't used cursive in "forever," like a lot of people. Even on birthday cards. Have we forgotten how? Or is it, like myself, that your handwriting in cursive is atrocious?

What neighboring states to Colorado require cursive to be taught?

• Wyoming: No.
• Kansas: No legal requirement, but the Board of Education does require it.
• Nebraska: No.
• New Mexico: No.
• Utah: No, but the Board of Education is considering it.

Will Colorado become one of the states that put cursive writing back into schools? Will today's teachers know how to teach it?