9/2/10– A friend here in Sedona took her nephew to the local bank (one that has branches in his home town in California) to open a checking account with funds he had recently received.  He is 14 years old, in the 8th grade.  When he was required to write a signature, he could not.  He can only print it his name !!! Therefore, he can't open a checking account. He has never learned cursive writing.I met a retired teacher last Saturday at a Phoenix Writer Club meeting.  She says that cursive writing is no longer taught !!!Of course, this sent me and teacher friend in California (via email) into a flurry of investigation.  My CA teacher (PhD in English Lit) friend consulted with an elementary teacher who assured her that cursive is taught in the 3rd grade and reinforced with remedial training, if necessary, in the 5th grade.I suspect that the particular boy who can't do cursive is a special case.  He may just have refused to learn cursive and his parents did not insist?  and/or his teacher did not insist? But I am wondering about elementary schools here in Arizona.  If any of you out there in Blogland have information on this subject, please let me know. Thanks, Willma