Indiana lawmakers aim to make cursive writing instruction mandatory

One of the more controversial aspects of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is that they do not make cursive writing instruction mandatory. While schools in states that have adopted the CCSS have the option of teaching cursive, it is not considered to be a skill that students will need in an increasingly technological world.

Jean Leising and Mike Delph, two of Indiana's Republican state senators, disagree and have chosen to sponsor a bill that would reverse the Indiana Department of Education's decision to make cursive writing optional, according to the Lebanon Reporter.

"This is one of the issues that people in our districts talk about," Leising told the news source. "If you can't write in cursive, how are you going to sign a legal document?"

Even though students' ability to successfully navigate a computer's keyboard is viewed as being more important than cursive writing skills, several states still value the power of the pen. According to USA Today, California, Georgia and Massachusetts are among the states that have adopted the CCSS, but still require students to learn how to write in cursive.