Pennsylvania lawmaker to introduce legislation to require cursive handwriting in schools

By PATRICK DAMP

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    HARRISBURG. Pennsylvania (KDKA) — One Pennsylvania House of Representatives member informed his colleagues he is planning to introduce legislation that would require schools in the Commonwealth to teach cursive handwriting.

In a letter to his colleagues earlier this week, Republican Representative Joseph Adams informed everyone that he has plans to introduce the bill.

“I plan to introduce legislation that requires cursive handwriting to be taught in our schools,” his memorandum read. “In an increasingly digital world, cursive has fallen by the wayside. However, there are compelling cognitive, developmental, and practical reasons for ensuring students have at least a basic grasp of cursive writing.”

Rep. Adams, representing a district near Scranton, Pennsylvania, cited studies that say learning cursive improves fluency, creativity, and memory.

He also said that it would benefit kids to read important historical documents that are also written in cursive.

As many as 18 states already have laws that require cursive to be taught in schools.

If this legislation were to become law, Pennsylvania would join Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

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