Let the parents teach their kids how to print and do cursive writing. I wonder if there is an App for that. It isn't on the FCAT so it isn't taught.

I totally agree with what you stated. Everyone teaching today sticks to the scripted curriculum. Everything is geared for measurement on a standardized test.

Teach kids how to sign their names and forget the rest. My children were taught cursive in 3rd grade and never had to use it again. My son could keyboard 70 words a minute in 5th grade. He "types" better than I do. My kids all had to do power point presentations in 4th grade. My daughter age 21 scored a "32" on her ACT with a "34" in math and yet she struggled with multiplication facts in 2nd grade. I wasn't even taught multiplication facts until 4th grade. Education is always changing.

Does anyone speak with any actual knowledge of the standards taught in our Florida schools or are you basing your knowledge of the educational system on the fact that you attended school once and probably 40 years ago? Until Florida fully implements the Common Core Standards, we still have in our own Florida Next Generstion Sinshine State Standards that cursive writing is introduced in second grade and taught beginning in the third grade. People should really educate themselves before they start "dumbing down" our educational system.

I have to chime in this conversation. Education is in a pendulum swing. Colleges in the US had data to back up that US students could not compete with the students who were studying in our colleges who were educated in other countries! Our students were really good at reciting facts, but could not think for themselves, problem solve, and were not college and career ready! 46 states have adopted the Common Core Standrds, and let me tell you, parents have difficulty with second grade math, because it forces students to know their facts inside and out and be able to identifybthem visually as well as explain why they get the answer they do.. Please don't say education is dumbing down, the intensity is increasing and teachers are having to totally change their strategies and educate themselves on how to teach this way. This is a change that is for the good, but hard to understand without a bit of educating ourselves. I am very proud of the way we are going for our future generation! I support teachers and anyone in this field. They work very hard and are continuing to learn themselves, what is best for our kids!

Could you please tell me why you believe reading is not stressed in schools besides the fact that a friend who went back college told you so?

You are so very right. I went to the Common Core Symposium this last summer for the implementation here in Florida. When people see what is going to be on the new PARCC assessments, they will be shocked. This test will be more challenging than anything we have seen in the past. The expectations are very high and there will be serious growing pains at first. But, once the students that are now in K-2 make there way through high school, we will see tremendous results. My grandson in kindergarten had to know how to spell "veterinarian" last week! I'd say that's a little more important and impressive than cursive writing.....

This is English. Do you understand it? Can you read it? Could you write it?

The point is language changes. The way we write and spell changes. Some people might call it progress. Or more eloquently:

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.