r/RAoC_meta • u/No-Condition5102 • 1d ago
Cursive writing tangent question
I was reading an earlier post here in meta. If cursive is not taught in schools anymore HOW are young adults/new adults supposed to (eventually) sign legal documents?! In PRINT?! Please weigh in, especially if you teach, have young kids, or know - super curious. (I was taught cursive.)
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u/mumbamakincards 1d ago
I teach 3rd grade in Florida. I teach cursive after we test, so the last few weeks of school. I print out a paper with the students name in cursive with practice lines. We talk about the importance of learning their signature. BUT that's the only time they got any instruction. This year, our district printed practice books and told us to add it to the curriculum. Did not adjust the time requirements for anything though. So I haven't even looked at the books. It's not tested so unfortunately it's not a priority for admin.
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u/FerretThick2940 1d ago edited 1d ago
If I'm not mistaken, they can use standard print to sign their name, even if the document asks for a signature.
I believe the reason being is that it'd technically be discrimination if someone were excluded from a opportunity simply because they cannot physically write their name in a certain way!
Beyond education, how about someone with mild-moderate hand tremors? A traditional "signature" may not be an option for some people.
But, a bank or medical institution cannot look at your handwriting and deny you based on your inability to link letters together. Imagine: "well, everything looks in order for you to have this procedure! (or, buy this home, etc) Just put your signature here. What's that? You can only PRINT your first and last? Oh, too bad then!"
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u/No-Condition5102 18h ago
True. I was more curious bc your signature is often pretty distinct & hard to forge unless you are a pro so it is one of the free methods to “counter” anything illegal done to you/in your name.
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u/FerretThick2940 18h ago edited 17h ago
I do think official documents will require the signature to be as consistent as possible. For example, if someone always uses shaky, printed lettering on official documents, it wouldn't be hard for the bank to look at previous signatures to verify it's consistent. And, it would definitely be noticeable if that shaky print suddenly changes to cursive. In regards to that article, I don't believe it's accurate. It's based around a random reddit post. No DMV would allow that. And if they did, as long as the signature is consistent, what I've told you still holds up! I hope i don't sound snarky, that's not my intention!
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u/No-Condition5102 17h ago
I just thought the article was funny and wanted to include it. 😊 The guy who drew the 3 cat faces on his lic is an idiot.
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u/spaaaaaacey 1d ago
My 18yo was taught cursive in school (TX) but never used it and has a printed signature. He has a passport (goes to uni overseas), bank account, credit card, etc with no issues.
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u/pupslace Mr. Stamp Math 22h ago
I mean, I was taught cursive, but I also have two distinct cursive signatures. My actual one, and my government one - you know, the one where you can make out my actual name.
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u/No-Condition5102 18h ago
interesting. Because at one point in my early 20s I changed my signature because it was too legible and thus too annoying to write out. So then when I switched it at my bank, they were like why does it look different and I was like because I changed my signature. And they were just like oh OK and left it at that. So the lack of resistance was both interesting and funny and maybe scary.
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u/Namlette- a sticker here, a sticker there 1d ago
Two of my nieces who are in college "create" their signature. They saw someone signature style that they like, put their own spin on it and practice writing it until they like how it turn out. Now that I think about it, I think most of my nieces and nephews signature are done this was. I feel that if they want to have a cursive signature, they will learn it, or at least learn the part they need.
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u/No-Condition5102 1d ago
Ahhhh… Interesting!!! It was such a huge thing in my school to have your own very distinct signature & handwriting/style, some girls in my high school may as well have invented their own font & sold it. We all were taught cursive at young age & extensively so this new “method” you shared is crazy to me. That the ONLY cursive they know is their signature. My dad loves fountain pens and has an amazing signature & had writing. It is basically old school calligraphy & my handwriting looks NOT like that at all. 🤣
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u/Namlette- a sticker here, a sticker there 23h ago
It's a dying art...😔 Good handwriting and calligraphy requires practice and time, which some people don't want to give or have. Just like you mention that it was a huge thing in your school, my school focus more on computer typing then writing. With technology now, more people just don't see the point of handwriting.
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u/TyeDyeAmish 1d ago
I gotta chime in on the signing part. I learned cursive in the second grade. I can read but not write it. But my signature has always been a scribble. There’s no way to make out what it says & no one has ever said a word to me about it lol
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u/No-Condition5102 18h ago
Interesting that you could read it but not write it. I can’t remember what year we were taught cursive but second grade seems really young, and I almost feel as though we probably learned it in more than one grade.
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u/TyeDyeAmish 17h ago
Yeah if we’re being honest I don’t remember learning how to read it either, but I feel fairly confident rhat it was second grade. But I can almost always make out what people send in cursive so that’s a huge positive.
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u/Playful_Foundation_5 1d ago
Teachers have many things they are required to teach, and I'm pretty sure many districts are not able to allocate much time to the teaching of cursive. Young people who go on to study historical, legal and other documents written by hand will need to learn to read it, and they will. I'm not sure they will need to write it. (Retired English instructor here.)
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u/ez330 37 pieces of flair 19h ago
My kids learned it in kindergarten Montessori school, thankfully, because their public school barely covers it in second grade. Right now we do a few cursive worksheets weekly so they hopefully remember it. Idc what schools think, I think it’s important to know. 🤷🏻♀️
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u/No-Condition5102 18h ago
Agree - important. you’re the second person that says they covered it in second grade or even earlier. Kindergarten sounds crazy. I honestly can’t remember when I was taught cursive but second grade seems awfully young.
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u/nothankyou928 14h ago
I think I was right around the cut off when schools in my area stopped teaching it. Third grade, they were teaching it, but I just wasn’t getting it. All school staff had an “oh well” attitude and I never saw it in school again after that.
Later, as an adult, I taught myself to read and write cursive. Though, I prefer print. I know how to properly sign my name in cursive, I feel it take too much effort to do so (even in print), it’s my first initial (cursive) Last initial (cursive) then a squiggly line.
My older brother prints his. I’ve met a few others who also print, but I’ve found a squiggle is most common.
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u/Typical-Carrot-1172 6h ago
The elementary school near me teaches the students' full name signatures only. There's no time to teach the whole individual alphabet letters in cursive.
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u/RitaAlbertson I have a Marketplace "problem" 1d ago
Legally, you can sign with just an X and as long as someone else can affirm that you’ve made the mark, it’s fine. Illiterate people have to sign documents too. A lack of cursive won’t be a barrier to “signing” things. It WILL be a barrier to reading old things.
Also all the small ones in my life have been taught cursive and that covers two public school districts and two parochial schools over the past 10 years or so.