Somerset Student Receives Award He Can't Read, As It's in Cursive

I’m sure that school has changed a lot since I was attending. For starters, I think blackboards and chalk have been replaced with smart boards and laptops. There are certainly no more overhead projectors and I’m sure they don’t have a gigantic television on a trolley hanging around somewhere for educational videos.

While the technology has changed, so has the curriculum, and one Somerset dad is frustrated after his son received an award that he can’t even read.

I’ve heard rumors that students no longer learn cursive in school, but since I don’t have children, I never investigated the matter. But after seeing on Facebook that a Somerset parent was upset over their child receiving an award, it caught my attention.

The parent was upset because the award for making the honor roll was written in cursive – which their middle school-aged child didn't know how to read.

Can someone explain to me why we aren’t teaching children cursive anymore? Is it deemed unnecessary now? Is this just a sign that writing altogether may be overrun by keyboards in the near future, so there’s no need to teach it?

Signatures are needed for every official document. Will people start printing names on checks and government documents?

I am not a fan of this educational shift. I understand that education has to stay up to date, but how can you say that cursive is not essential? Truthfully, the middle school that this boy attends already has holes in its argument if it is sending home certificates written in a way that’s not even taught in their own school.

Am I missing something here, or do you think that cursive should make a comeback in schools?