Senate ed panel backs teaching cursive writing mandate

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Updated: January 26, 2012 10:59PM

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s public schools would be required to teach cursive writing and largely prohibited from starting their school years until late August under bill approved by a legislative committee.

The Senate Education Committee vote Wednesday to advance bills on both matters to the full Senate for consideration.

The debate over the teaching of cursive writing started after the state Department of Education in April dropped it as a required part of school curriculum in favor of keyboard proficiency. It is unclear whether any schools have stopped teaching cursive writing.

The bill setting a school start date of no earlier than the fourth Monday of August is a change from an earlier version that aimed to prevent schools from starting until after Labor Day.