Pennsylvania lawmaker introduces legislation that requires cursive to be taught in schools

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania -- Pennsylvania State Representative Joe Adams wants to make cursive part of every school curriculum in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Republican, who represents parts of Pike and Wayne counties in northeastern Pennsylvania plans to introduce legislation bringing cursive instruction back.

"It's really good for practicality. Legal documents need to be signed in cursive. If you want to know about the history of the United States, you want to read the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and any Civil War documents you have to be able to read cursive. And to read cursive, you should be able to write cursive as well," said Adams.

The proposed legislation would require "instruction in cursive handwriting or joined italics to be taught in the appropriate grade levels."

According to EducationWeek.org, currently 21 states require some sort of cursive writing.

In a news release, Adams added, "Recent studies indicate that learning cursive has many developmental benefits including increased hand-eye coordination, critical thinking and increased self-confidence in students learning how to write in cursive."

"The added benefit of learning to write in cursive is the creation of a written self-identity that can separate human work from that of artificial intelligence and stymie plagiarism. It is clearly critical that the basics of this important skill be required in the classroom."

Action News posted a poll on X that was viewed over a thousand times. The vast majority of voters who weighed in were in favor of bringing back cursive to school curriculums in Pennsylvania.