If kids must learn cursive, old folks should learn to use smartphones
As a 77-year-old who won my school’s penmanship competition in fourth grade, I’m pretty happy that California kids will be learning cursive handwriting. (“Learning cursive in school, long scorned as obsolete, is now the law in California,” Jan. 8)
If it’s true that it helps with cognitive development or is beneficial to kids with dyslexia, that’s great. However, I don’t think it’s going to save democracy by helping students read the founding documents of our nation in the original script. That old style of writing is still largely undecipherable for most of us. Besides, printed copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are readily available.
Personally, I like cursive because writing it is so much faster and easier than printing.
On the other hand, I find that many people my age are woefully lacking in computer skills. Many I know miss out on cultural and social events because they can’t drive at night or don’t know how to use their phones to hail an Uber.
Maybe we could work out some kind of deal where the oldsters teach children the art of cursive and the younger students teach the elders how to perform some basic operations on computers and phones that would help them remain independent. It could be a win-win for everyone.
Laurie Jacobs, San Clemente
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