We would probably be the first country to do away with teaching our kids how to communicate on more than one plane. Many languages have several written forms of language and teach them all. It broadens ones capabilities and expands the mind to new frontiers. Sure I want my kids to be able to type or 'keyboard'? but I'm happy to say my son will learn it starting in second grade and my daughter has been able to do it since fourth grade. Public schools here are able to decide on their own whether or not to teach cursive and many choose not to. Both my kids now go to a school that teaches it and believes in it.
Writing in and of itself in cursive is a beautiful thing.
Can you print poems? Love letters? Memoirs? Like Russel said Calligraphy is a beautiful form of writing. On my fathers side the Arabic language has several forms of writing and a couple are themselves considered art when properly done.
In the end my main reason that I want both my kids to be able to write cursive is so that we can communicate properly in our cave after the zombie apocalypse comes. What will all you keyboarders do then, huh , well ? Huh Mnnyaaaahhhh
I agree with Saiid 100000000 pct ( personally loooking at the doing away with decimals movement myself)
I think writing is an "art" as much as a method of expression. It saddens me to see these skills taken away from our children...to me its like saying there's fast food, and microwaves so no one needs to learn how to cook...you can't replace the feeling of reading a letter and knowing the other person actually took the time to write it, not type it. I STILL write my family letters and although my cursive has become somewhat spastic over the years they still appreciate that they can open an envelope, read the letter and save it.
Just MHO..and maybe just Saiid's but not something we feel should be lost..