On the Beat in Bluffton

Friday, February 7, 2014

N-B Feedback: R.I.P. cursive? House Education chair says he won’t consider handwriting law

The effortlessly flowing form of penmanship known as cursive may flow effortlessly flat onto the Indiana Senate floor next week, never to be required in an Indiana schoolroom again.

Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, who represents part of Henry County, has tried each year since 2011 to re-introduce through legislation cursive to the Common Core curriculum, when keyboarding made an appearance in new requirements and cursive was suddenly nowhere to be found. The Indiana Senate passed Leising’s bill January 23, but members of the House of Representatives don’t seem interested.

House Education Committee Chairman Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, repeated his third refusal in as many years to hear Leising’s bill, claiming in no uncertain terms that he believed there were more important issues for the house to consider.

Tell us what you think, however, in the comments section below. Should the state require cursive, or is its handwriting already on the wall?

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