Neyda Borges / WLRN

Most school districts no longer require students to learn how to write in cursive. Since the 1970s, fewer and fewer people see the importance of curlicues.

Every October, high-school students across the country take the PSAT, or Practice SAT, a standardized test developed by College Board that provides high school students a chance to enter scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools.

But, it wasn’t the algebraic equations that terrified the kids. It was the cursive.

Seriously.

As the kids filled in their identifying information, they came to a section that asked them to copy a pledge promising not to cheat – in cursive – and then to sign their names.

“Miss, what do they mean by ‘sign your name’?” one student asked.

“You know, the way that you write your name on important documents, like contracts or checks.”

Questioning stare. “Like, in cursive?”

“Yes.”

I have never seen so many stunned teenagers, paralyzed, gripping their pencils, gulping. It took one child a full five minutes to copy the roughly 25 words and sign his name.  Continue Reading →