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10/31/2013

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Sean Molles

It is disheartening to know we live in a world where the fictional portrayal of the food industry in “The Scarecrow” is not too far off. Obviously there are not mechanical crows ordering around scarecrows but, concerning the products we eat, it is not always what it seems. Chipotle's attempt at distancing themselves from the rest of the fast food industry, though admirable, was dishonest. When it is all said and done, Chipotle is major fast food company who's main goal is to be profitable. If this means they have to make a smear add designed to appear as an honest eye-opening message then so be it. It should be noted that Chipotle uses pounds on pounds of meat daily and did not show them doing so in their “Scarecrow” add. As nice as it would be for us to live in a world where we get out meat directly from a farm where everything is pure and fresh, it's not possible. With the world's population at what it is at and with the time needed for un-altered animals to mature, it would not be possible to feed everyone. There are ways to provide the families who are interested in having only the freshest, farm-grown food but, the reality of the matter is that we need genetically altered chickens and cows. The demand for meat will not decrease at anytime so we must do what is necessary. The living situations for these animals does not have to be as cruel as it is. These animals are contained in tight cages where they can hardly move and are treated inhumanly. This being said, we as people cannot expect fast food places to be hold to the standard of pure farm-fresh food. Chipotle attempting to come across as being different, is fine, until they lead people to believe false truths.

Sean Molles

ignore that comment

Taylor

The schools where I am from are ones that have taken out the teaching of cursive writing and I know that most of the teachers were very mad. Some of them still teach it when they get the chance. I however did learn how to write in cursive when I was younger along with my fellow classmates, but once we entered middle school we were never required to use it so many of us never practiced. Therefore when we all went to take the ACT our senior year and we had to write one sentence in cursive it took us almost as long as filling out the rest of the information did, which is very sad. I wish that the younger me would have kept up with my cursive writing because I believe it is very important to be able to write a letter that people will want to read just due to its sheer beauty when you look at it. I am sad to know that the younger generation will never know the struggle as a second grader trying to figure out what seems to be a new language, and then playing around with it to get your signature that you will sign when you become famous.

Daniel Souder

Cursive was the font of all handwriting for an extended point in our history, but compared with many other things, there will always be a time where things must change because of how much society is too. Basically, we can not prolong the inevitable so to speak. George and George made controversial statements that encourage the continuation of cursive, and vice versa. Cursive is an artistic and official way of writing down letters, essays, signatures, and dates, but times change and older forms need to move on as well. In the least shallow way said, cursive is a beautiful form of writing, but humans are stimulated by the new styles popping out everyday and they can't help but forget what they used to know. In reference to the NASA space pen; the pen is what brought this country together. It holds great meaning to our country, so for the USA to be able to design a pen that can withstand the space environment it must be included in this essay. This third question does not relate to each other what so ever. There is a major difference between Abraham Lincoln signing his name on an official document for the rest of America to see and judge, than the average american posting a tweet about what he is eating for lunch that day. If we are talking of social media, of course we are not making a mark. These social media sites were made to release our emotions to the rest of our 200 friends, not to construct a legal document and post it as a tweet. I was personally taught cursive starting in 6th grade when I moved to Florida. Cursive was a whole new way of writing. After a while, I began making my own font that many others do (mixing cursive with print). Getting the basics of cursive down helped my flow with writing in print astronomically. I could have written this faster than typing it on the computer.

Evan Keeney

Eliminating cursive is like getting rid of an old form of art. In the 18th and 19the century, cursive was a status symbol. The better an individuals penmanship was, the higher the status of the individual, and the more educated certain people were. A very rich tradition of how to mark your prestige amongst other people. Tradition is important and has great meaning for the future.
As a student myself, I learned cursive in second-grade. Developing my penmanship until around fifth-grade, then I developed my own version of writing; a mixture of cursive and regular print. I'm proud of my hand writing, without the fancy cursive my hand writing would be extremely boring.

Amanda Magoon

Bobby and June George tackle the controversy of cursive writing, whether it should be taught in schools and the general principle of it, in their article "Why we shouldn't write off cursive." Throughout the article, it is clear that the Georges feel like cursive writing gets an unnecessarily bad reputation due to its "old fashioned" style. They acknowledge the fact that type and print are taking over the writing world due to all of the new technology coming out, but they still advocate for cursive being taught in school. The Georges believe that cursive and handwriting gives an aesthetic that type cannot and it preserves the meaning in letters and words in general. Comparing it with a quote from Abraham Lincoln, cursive writing is of high importance to Booby and June George.
I agree with the Georges that learning cursive handwriting should be kept as a priority in schools because my experience with it has been useful and meaningful. I was taught cursive writing in grade school, and at the time I thought nothing of it, but it now has a greater meaning. The classic movements and script gives an important and historical feel to any writing. The quality and beauty that is cursive handwriting adds a layer of meaning with each letter, article, or note. I believe that it allows for a deeper understanding of things just as the Georges mentioned. Children should continue to learn this basic form of writing so that the foundations of this society are not lost.

Andrew Tesmacher

Our society is progressively becoming more and more digital minded, this is bound to have an impact on the traditional educational system. To learn that an old fashioned writing system, such as cursive, is becoming less common does not come as much of a surprise. New generations will learn new things, and this generation is familiar with technology to interact and communicate, and it is much more effective than any physical mailing system. I do, however, believe that the old fashioned writing system should be kept around, as penmanship is an under appreciated art in this modern technological age.

Emilee LeMaire

As stated in the essay by George and George, people take different sides on whether or not cursive writing should be taught in schools. I believe that cursive writing should be taught in schools because it can increase brain activity and can result in higher academic performance. In my elementary school I learned how to write cursive and I feel like it helped me in the long run. Even though our society is increasingly becoming more digitally inclined, I still believe that cursive handwriting should be preserved.

It is understandable that cursive writing is becoming a speck in the distance. New generations learn new things and this generation is familiar with using technology for communication and is considering much easier than mailing a letter. It is easy to understand why cursive writing is becoming less popular because our society using many other ways to communicate. However, with that being said, I believe that we should keep teaching cursive writing in schools because it is an under appreciated art form that from personal experience has helped me. Its beauty and quality adds meaning to any letter or note and this basic form of writing should not be lost.

Nazli Islam

I feel that cursive should continue to be taught in schools. Many feel that cursive should be discontinued because it no longer holds any relevance, especially with computers, cursive is simply out of date. It may be true that cursive requires more effort than typing, but I believe that cursive is worth the effort. George and George give the example of Abraham Lincoln, one of the our nation's greatest presidents, how he understood the significance of his own handwriting. As much as a person's use of diction or tone affects their style, their penmanship does as well. Each stroke adds feeling and emphasis to their work. Typing something lessens the expression because in writing, like painting, each stroke means something different and adds unique feeling. The loss of cursive would be the loss of an important form of art. When I was in third grade, they began teaching me cursive, but eventually it stopped and I took it into my own hands and researched how to do it. It would be more encouraging to other students if the school had continued to teach cursive. I am glad that I pursued cursive because I feel that I have my own personal expression. Cursive is an art that should still be taught in schools.

Naomi Peng

As seen in the text by George and George, there are two different views about cursive and whether or not it should continued to be taught in schools. I learned cursive in 2nd grade and although we did not practice it as much as I would have liked, it was still a great skill that I was able to learn in the earlier years of my life. Even though I find myself writing in print far more than cursive, I still believe cursive should be taught in school because it
enhances brain activity and it is a beautiful form of art.

But, I can see why others might be against the teaching of cursive. We have entered a new era where technology rules society, and therefore writing in cursive is no longer necessary or relevant. However, cursive is a beautiful form of art which enhances the writers expressions and emotions as they write. George and George remind us that Abraham Lincoln understood the importance of his handwriting and knew that it would impact many people if not done properly because it would express and give off false vibes. Although typing on a computer may be faster and easier to read, this same emotion can not be felt through a typed text. Many also argue that cursive is not needed for academic success. But these people can be proven wrong because cursive is more challenging than print and it stimulates the brain which can lead to increased comprehension and participation, which is something print does not offer. The beauty of cursive should not be taken away from schools.

Abbie Wellspeak

George and George claim that Cursive should be preserved as it offers many benefits both academically and artistically. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand I agree that writing in cursive has many positive effects, as there is hard evidence such as MRI's to prove it. On the other hand, despite these advantages, I still insist that cursive is unnecessary in this day and age. Personally, I find that when writing in cursive I find myself trying to focus on remembering how to write the letters than the actual content of the writing itself. Perhaps this is because I grew up writing mostly in shorthand or type. In sum, my personal preference is shorthand, despite the evidence and arguments illustrated by George and George.

bennett

Back in elementary school, cursive was a massive part of the 3rd grade curriculum. I remember we would spend at at least an hour per day practicing cursive writing, with the hopes of mastering it. Then, I thought it was cool, since this was a step in becoming an adult, which every nine year old strives to be. I would take the lessons very seriously, since my regular print was very unsatisfactory (as shown by my report card), so it was a chance to improve my handwriting and make it legible. After reading the article, the studies done on cursive writing and its benefits vs print is very logical. The hand motion is more fluid and art like, which contributes to increased brain activity, as shown by MRIs. However, with the benefits that it has, I don't love it. Computers and typing will be more useful in the future, as shown by the amount of people now learning how to type and use them, so I believe that having computer classes in school is necessary. Even so, cursive should still be taught, since it makes people "smarter" by using it. Lincoln was right about being judged by our handwriting. Your handwriting is part of your "black dot". Your black dot is all of the physical traits people notice about you first, and then judge you on. For example, I was seen as being stupid in 3rd grade by my peers since they couldn't read my handwriting. Being a 3rd grader, they automatically jumped to the conclusion that the quality of your handwriting has a direct correlation with intelligence. Now, they hopefully know that it's not true.

O'Brien

I agree that cursive is an art and should not be lost in time, but on the other hand I do not think that it should be taught in school. We used to learn it in 3rd grade, but I found that it was a waste of time because we never used it after we learned it or even later in life. I have never found the need to write in cursive, one because I forgot how to make some of the letters, and I also found that many people do not know how to read cursive. The author provides strong arguments for both sides and I now see how cursive could be useful to students, but I still agree that cursive writing is not something that is necessary for schools to teach. It should be taught in art classes because it is a fun and useful thing to know how to do.

Barry Bernard Boy Of Destiny

I feel that cursive, sadly really holds no strong purpose in current society and it is a waste of time and energy to try and preserve it. Others argue how our nation was based in cursive, but our nation was also based in slavery. I barely know how to write in cursive, and 11th grade AP English is the first time i will have to use cursive since the third grade. It's a sad but inarguable truth that must be accepted

Joanna B

Is cursive writing really important and what benefits can it have on our current society? That is the real question here, and it is one that many people present mixed feelings about. When I was in third grade, my fellow classmates and I were taught cursive. We have never been required to use it so, naturally most of us have forgotten how. It is true that typing or writing in print, is more functional than taking the time to write cursive. However, I still write in cursive; specifically I sign my name in cursive. When I have time, I almost prefer to write in cursive, it flows better and looks more elegant. That isn't to say that it's not time consuming, because it is. In school, I tend to print versus using cursive just for the sake of time. George argues that your handwriting determines what kind of person you are, and I agree because computers may not be around forever and paper has been around for thousands of years. Personally, I want to leave something concrete behind, not something that can be erased with the push of a button. "Once at the very heart of public school education, cursive is aggressively being replaced by computer classes." I disagree about the fact that cursive should not be taught anymore, I feel as though it should be. It should be up to the student whether they want to use it or not.

Natalie10614

In recent discussions involving cursive writing, a controversial issue has been whether it's kept in the curriculum or not. On the one hand, some argue that cursive writing is becoming useless and obsolete. From this perspective, its easy to say "I don't want to learn cursive" or even try. On the other hand, however, others argue that cursive writing has a scientific aspect. In the words of George, one of this view's main proponents, " cursive is a matter of science, and what’s best for teaching our children". According to this view, it has become a debate on the reasons for keeping versus dropping the wispy writing. In sum, then, the issue is whether cursive is still a contender for enriching the minds of our children, or if it has been replaced by the advancements in modern technology. I feel as though while cursive is a little old and less frequently used, I don't think it should be completely obliterated in today's society.

ljm1400

Is cursive writing a concept still worth being taught in school? That is one topic that could go either way in a discussion. Although I agree that cursive is fading out, I don't think that we should let it go away completely. It is an art that has been around since close to the beginning of our writing. Our society today however, is based majorly in electronic devices recording things with our keyboards, and when we do have to write most of the time we just choose to write in print anyway. Most students, around my age especially, have been taught cursive when they were younger, however almost everyone has chosen to act as if they had never learned it. Most students even have trouble reading cursive nowadays. It is a sad but true fact that cursive is slowly fading away in an ever more technological society.

jared_davis3

On the one hand, many people believe that cursive writing is no longer relevant. On the other hand I believe that cursive is a skill that still needs to be taught in today's society. Cursive writing is almost like an art form that people used for centuries. When you write in cursive your thoughts and ideas are able to flow more from your brain to the paper. In cursive there is no pause between letters causing your ideas to join together and your ideas to be expressed better and more fully. You no longer have a loss of thought over a pause in writing because it is one solid movement. Cursive allows you to think and write smoothly and effectively. Cursive is an art form that shouldn't be lost because if cursive writing is lost with it we could lose a great sense of thought. The thought that goes with cursive writing could be one of the past.

Natalie Russo

When an adolescent you are taught how to write in cursive thus, later on in your life using this eloquent style of writing for signing official documents, checks, etc. George and George talked about Abraham Lincoln and how he knew the own importance of his handwriting, he saw the beauty and the significance of his cursive thus, affecting his style and his writing. Clearly cursive is more time consuming than typing or printing words but, the elegance is not shown through those handwriting styles. In our world today everything is so modern, fast, and computerized and I believe that cursive is one of the last forms of reading, writing, or communicating that needs to be preserved and taught for generations to come. How will kids sign official documents fifteen years from now if they don’t know how to write in cursive? On the other hand, I understand that times are changing and at one point cursive writing was a huge ordeal but then slowly faded out because it is not “relevant”. Cursive writing is an artistic way of writing but as times change so forms of reading, communicating, and writing in this case. Although I believe that schools should still teach cursive writing, it is a beautiful looking way of presenting written word.

Ethcon

Cursive without a doubt, is a dying breed. I, like many other of my peers, learned the art of cursive in third grade and if not somewhere around that time frame. Unlike most kids today, I fortunately remember my cursive which I'll be thankful for once my time comes for the AP test. Maybe if cursive was enforced in the public and even some private school systems, it wouldn't be such a big deal. Cursive can complete the look of a hand written essay and simply makes it a piece of art. Once mastered, it can be used as a tool that can speed up the writing process by making the writing fluid which in turn opens up the brain more than print, proven by MRIs. For kids that are moving through elementary school, they should be held responsible for their cursive once it is taught to them. Cursive would then become ingrained into there heads to the point where it comes as naturally as print. That would keep cursive from dying as it is today.

Saltanat

It's common that people don't use cursive writing much these days. According to the article of "The Stroke of his Hand" we know that now days people would type or either use print letters they would do anything to comfort themselves in order to avoid cursive writing. In fact that cursive writing is more efficient way to express your writing and it shows how much accurate a person can be. Although not a lot of people know how to write in cursive since it's tough for most majority of people. It is based on how the person was raised meaning what he was taught and how he was taught from the early ages weather he/she was taught to write in cursive or printed letters. People find it hard and useless to write in cursive and it feels normal for them.

Gina

Although cursive is becoming “outdated” and “irrelevant” , I still believe it is an important skill that today’s society needs to know. The art of cursive writing has been around for centuries. So many famous documents have been crafted using this style of writing, I find it extremely absurd to want to completely get rid of teaching cursive writing in school. It is a skill that I view as very useful and even necessary to know.

ArthurTagnv

While the first half of the article does defend cursive writing in a very aggressive manner, stating that keyboards are nuances, claiming that people believe it is no longer relevant, the second writer really hits home. He provokes the reader to enjoy cursive instead of showing us the things that go against it, such as keyboards and computers etc. The second author more so proves a point than the first, he shows us the importance of cursive and the benefits that come along with it.

Amanda Clark

In this generation, cursive is basically becoming and extinct way of writing. George and George pointed out how less and less schools make cursive writing part of the curriculum. Cursive writing may take ten times longer than print or typing, but to me, it's a necessary skill everyone should know and use. I agree with George and George that it's wrong how school's have stopped teaching cursive to younger kids, and went straight to either typing or printing.

Desire M

George and George argue that cursive writing is a form of art and that it should not be lost, and I agree because it is a beautiful form of writing, which enables writers to express their thoughts naturally with each stroke. The last time that I was taught cursive was in third grade and I remember enjoying it, but as I moved into middle school, I began to forget how to write in cursive and I lost interest in it because it was not being taught anymore. Nowadays, most things are written in text and learning cursive is not necessary anymore. I fear that cursive writing will disappear completely one day. In order to prevent this, we should start making sandcastles that are far away from the edge of the sea, in a safe place where there are no waves.

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