[billethkid]

if it is in fact practiced (not teaching) in over 40 states then it is obvious there is a very important group....a very large, statistically significant group....called parents....that DO NOT CARE!!!!

Each subsequent dummed down generation can only care less as well and the dumbing down will continue to cut across more and more of what most of us KNOW is essential education.

The status and stature of the future of our country is in serious decay which will have a more devasting affect on the future than the too much talked about climate change and greening of America.

The future "we the people" will be ever more dependent on a keyboard and government support.......and the dumbed down population will care less than the group called parents today.

I am glad I came through life in America when I did.....however each succeeding dumber downed than the last generation could care less about what it was the dinosars used to brag about!!!

btk

[DaleMN]

No reason to teach cursive writing unless it is part of a history course. It's archaic, seldom used and has about as much utility as a typewriter does today.

[DaleMN]

Oh.....and, to the contrary, I believe our generation is far, far less sophisticated and knowledgeable than today's youth.
Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you.

[Mack184]

What greater threat to freedom and liberty is there than people who cannot read or write?

[Cantwaittoarrive]

Sure we should but who uses it anymore

[Cantwaittoarrive]

Originally Posted by Mack184

What greater threat to freedom and liberty is there than people who cannot read or write?

I agree if you can't read or write then you have to trust what the "media" or "government" tells you without thinking for yourself

[Villages PL]

I don't think cursing should be taught in school when it could easily be taught at home, assuming parents even want their kids cursing in the first place.

OMG, my kid is cursing!

[The Flash]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

US SAT scores peaked in 1965. They have pretty much gone downhill ever since. A few years ago the powers that be recalibrated the test to bring the scores higher (for the sake of appearance?).

Test scores in many advanced countries far exceed ours yet our students "feel" they are ahead of those foreign students, a tragically false self confidence imprinted on their young minds by the self esteem movement. In these other countries the students realistically understand where they actually lie in terms of ability and accomplishment because they are not fed Lake Wobegon style pablum.

Don't think it is really fair to compare US scores to other countries. In the US we educate everyone (or attempt to) not just those on the path to college like in other countries.

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by The Flash

Don't think it is really fair to compare US scores to other countries. In the US we educate everyone (or attempt to) not just those on the path to college like in other countries.

Not so, according to this report.

Academic Failure - International Test Scores - Poor TIMSS Results

[BarryRX]

I believe we should teach cursive. In fact, we should have students learn to write with quills on papyrus. Just as long as we don't make them late for their buggy whip manufacturing class.

[Mack184]

To all those who are laughing at teaching kids to write and comparing it to buggy whips. Exactly WHAT happens when our internet system gets compromised by an enemy or when the electricity goes off for long periods of time and all those wonderful computerized gadgets won't work as happened during hurricane Sandy? What happens when their cell phones and calculators won't do the basic work for them??

Of course! They can just stamp their feet and grunt.

[BarryRX]

Originally Posted by Mack184

To all those who are laughing at teaching kids to write and comparing it to buggy whips. Exactly WHAT happens when our internet system gets compromised by an enemy or when the electricity goes off for long periods of time and all those wonderful computerized gadgets won't work as happened during hurricane Sandy? What happens when their cell phones and calculators won't do the basic work for them??

Of course! They can just stamp their feet and grunt.

No, they'll just have to print instead of writing in script. My comment was only about teaching cursive, a skill that is not used anymore. I agree with everyone else who said that kids should learn how to add and multiply without calculators, they should learn history and geography, etc.

[senior citizen]

.............

[TrudyM]

Printing so people can read it a definite yes. Cursive past learning to sign your name is very hard for little kids and time consuming to teach. My son when he was in Kindergarten and first grade would cry himself to sleep because he couldn�t control the pencil to do cursive writing. We spent hours practicing at home but it was just no use you couldn't read what he wrote for love or money. This is a kid who could at that age do math in his head and tested at a grade five levels in math and science and grade 3 in reading. Logical reasoning and how to research and find answers in this changing world is more important than memorizing facts in my opinion. Reading and Lit and critical thinking not fact memorizing to past some test. I may be more sensitive than most as I have dyslexia and was labeled as retarded because I couldn�t regurgitate facts. In a world in which both parents must work a longer school day and more money allocated to a well-rounded curriculum just makes economic sense.

[Shimpy]

Originally Posted by DaleMN

No reason to teach cursive writing unless it is part of a history course. It's archaic, seldom used and has about as much utility as a typewriter does today.

I agree. I was shocked about a year ago to learn it isn't being taught anymore. Then I was shocked to learn my son of 31 years with a masters deg. in computers hardly knows it.
Now that I think of it, why teach it? Let it die. It's hard to let go of things past but life goes on and we don't need it anymore.