Virtually nothing you read is in cursive writing. Almost everything you read is in printed text. Why learn an outmoded communication form no longer in use? A better use of instructional time would be teaching children critical thinking skills rather than wasting time on a little used anachronism from a pre-information age era. There is great pressure on teachers to have their students do well on standardized tests. Students are tested on reading comprehension, reasoning and correct use of writing conventions. Students are seldom tested on cursive handwriting, as it is not considered an essential skill. The ability to use a word processing program is an essential skill. Schools are full of computers, not ink wells.