Letter: Cursive writing a mandatory skill

I am a retired educator who taught in five different states during my career. I remember with great fondness my third-grade class and learning to write in cursive. I still get complimented on my handwriting at the age of 77.

When I learned last year that cursive writing was no longer being taught in South Carolina schools, I was appalled. How is one supposed to sign legal documents such as driver's licenses, credit card purchases or deeds with just block printing? Are we going to revert to marking an "X"?

A law passed last year mandating that South Carolina schools teach cursive may not be taking hold.

A friend told me her grandchildren relayed this classroom episode: A teacher brought in a copy of the Declaration of Independence, and not a child could read it because it was in cursive. Another friend told me she taught her children to write in cursive at home, but they are not allowed to use it in school.

The apparent reason for cutting cursive writing instruction from the curriculum was that teachers didn't have time to teach it and also "teach to the standardized tests," which are required in the schools. This I do not understand.

Please, bring cursive writing back into the mainstream.

Sunni Bond Winkler

Hilton Head Island

This story was originally published June 5, 2015 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Letter: Cursive writing a mandatory skill."