• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Texas schools bringing cursive back to classrooms

Nothing wrong at all with teaching proficiency in cursive, provided it isn't used to sacrifice proficiency in computers, STEM related curriculae, and of course, critical thinking. Texas is not doing itself any favors if it ultimately winds up cranking out a generation of graduates who write beautifully but cannot grasp 21st century basics of life.

Last but not least, I take issue with the fact that Texas encourages (or used to as of 2012) almost four years of Texas History but leaves US and World History to wither and rot.
Truly, NOBODY outside of Texas cares.
 
If the written word was merely a form of conveying information and nothing more then I would agree with you. But simply saying "it isn't art" is modern philistinism. There is a reason we had a thing called "penmanship" at one time. Writing is both a means of communication and an art.

Spencerian_example.jpg


Taking away cursive writing classes does nothing to enrich the lives of our children. I think we are better served by keeping this and every art we can in place.

This seems really rough for some people. The primary way of communicating the written word isn't ornate script on paper any longer.

You need to consider that art? Fine. Go out and sponsor some classes in it.

In the meantime, it's a complete waste of money, time and man hours to teach an anachronism.
 
That’s all well and good if you have the resources to keep a barber on staff.......


I bought a straight razor with bristle brush and shaving soap; I still use the brush and the soap, but the razor scares the crap outta me.

You do get a hair cut don't ya. That's when I get a good shave. I would end up killing myself using a straight razor, so pay the barber it is.
 
Recently, as a stopgap measure, I completed a holographic will, using cursive, which I assume was necessary to prove it was written by me.
 
Recently, as a stopgap measure, I completed a holographic will, using cursive, which I assume was necessary to prove it was written by me.

That is not altogether a dumb idea. It's actually a very smart idea.
I have done the same, in partial manner.
I am not saying it's smart because I did it.
Someone else mentioned it years ago and I thought it was smart back then, too and I just picked up on it and did the same.
 
In today's age of overwhelmingly digital communications? Cursive adds nothing, is useless and detracts from time and effort best spend elsewhere.

To compare it to drawing, painting and orchestra is asinine. Cursive isn't fine art.

Here's a story that's probably a one-off but might point to an advantage to practicing writing. I'm a structural Ironworker by trade. When my tired old legs started to write on the wall (ahem!) that I wasn't going to be able to climb much longer I decided to get a welding ticket. Problem was my hands were more suited to swinging a hammer at a bullpin than to the fine, accurate movements welding requires and I struggled with it. Finally I got myself a broad-nib pen, a stack of paper and a book on calligraphy and started practicing. In just a couple months my hands were trained to be like a surgeon (or a pickpocket) and I passed the welding tests.
There's not much demand for those kinds of skills, for sure, but the ability to do it might translate to other skills in some cases.
 
What a waste. Why not teach the kids how to use an 8 track player or use flashbulbs, or how to manually dial a phone?

Things like handwriting and hand stitching might be useless themselves but they train your hands and eyes in a way that might be useful elsewhere.
I wrote a boring little thing about it in #31.
 
Things like handwriting and hand stitching might be useless themselves but they train your hands and eyes in a way that might be useful elsewhere.
I wrote a boring little thing about it in #31.

Eh, I have carpal tunnel in both hands....most likely caused by nuns rapping my hands with the ruler because my handwriting was so bad. And for what? I can type, they are all dead now.:lol:
 
Eh, I have carpal tunnel in both hands....most likely caused by nuns rapping my hands with the ruler because my handwriting was so bad. And for what? I can type, they are all dead now.:lol:

Your hands wake you up at night?
 
Your hands wake you up at night?

They used to, I had surgery on both, one about 10 years ago, and one about 6 years before that. Great surgeon, you cannot see any scar. Sadly, he died a few years ago, he crashed his floatplane on a lake in Montana.
 
They used to, I had surgery on both, one about 10 years ago, and one about 6 years before that. Great surgeon, you cannot see any scar. Sadly, he died a few years ago, he crashed his floatplane on a lake in Montana.

I put off the surgery for years. What a dumbass! They would wake me and there was nothing I could do to get the tingling to stop. Late last year, did the first and in Jan did the other. I should have acted sooner.
 
I support this fully - as art and communication. After learning cursive in the 2nd-3rd grade, I use it exclusively. My print is horrid.

ETA: I'm a Native Texan :2wave:
 
Eh, I have carpal tunnel in both hands....most likely caused by nuns rapping my hands with the ruler because my handwriting was so bad. And for what? I can type, they are all dead now.:lol:

Oh, I don't say everyone needs this crap. I just say I missed having that skill at one point and others might, too. But I'm kind of a fan of old, anachronistic skills. I learned a whole bunch of knots in my apprenticeship, for example, and I've collected a whole bunch more since. Still looking forward to that perfect time to show them off. Even got the safe word figured.
Carpal tunnel? Yeah, me too- 'bilateral' they called it when they asked me which one to do first. When I asked if they could do them both together they said. "Sure. Got a real good friend to wipe your ass for you?"
 
I put off the surgery for years. What a dumbass! They would wake me and there was nothing I could do to get the tingling to stop. Late last year, did the first and in Jan did the other. I should have acted sooner.

Mine was determined as Workers Comp years ago, so I get free treatment. For my second surgery, I had to be deposed and go to what was essentially a hearing to get them to do it.....I told them ahead of time that they would lose, as I was an HR Director and had investigated dozens of WC cases....I won....they didn't even testify, but it still delayed the surgery by a year...
 
I support this fully - as art and communication. After learning cursive in the 2nd-3rd grade, I use it exclusively. My print is horrid.

ETA: I'm a Native Texan :2wave:



When I first saw a classroom, there were green backed placards placed above the chalk-boards with three white lines delineating upper and lower case cursive for all letters of the alphabet.
 
When I first saw a classroom, there were green backed placards placed above the chalk-boards with three white lines delineating upper and lower case cursive for all letters of the alphabet.

Same. :lamo Class of '95 :rock
 
Back
Top Bottom