Cursive is back. But should students be learning the skill?

"I realized they didn't know how to write or read in cursive. For an educator who firmly believes that quotes deserve to be written in cursive, and has a new one on her board each month, Kenerson wanted to give students a chance to understand the magic of the loopy writing."

"Cursive has been on the upswing for years now. More than two dozen states now require cursive instruction in schools after the 2010 Common Core standards omitted the skill. The club exploded in popularity this past winter, with local news stations and the Washington Post crediting it for keeping cursive alive."

"She has received fan mail from retirees and teachers (written in cursive, of course). She has heard from people in Idaho, Pennsylvania and Florida. She has even had Zoom calls with educators in Oklahoma and Maryland to explain how she runs the club."

Twelve-year-old students Sandi Chandee and Halle O'Brien are members of a cursive club at Holmes Middle School in Virginia, started by teacher Sherisse Kenerson. The club emerged when Kenerson realized her students could not read or write cursive, prompting her to create a space where they could learn this skill. Cursive instruction has resurged nationally, with more than two dozen states now requiring it after the 2010 Common Core standards removed the requirement. The club gained significant media attention from local news stations and the Washington Post, drawing interest from educators and retirees across multiple states including Idaho, Pennsylvania, Florida, Oklahoma, and Maryland. Kenerson has received fan mail and conducted Zoom calls with educators nationwide seeking to understand and replicate the club's success.

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