I thought maybe it was because the teachers hated penmenship in
  school and they banded together and figured out an academic way
  of putting it. i think most of those types of decisions have
  less to do with "what's good for the kids" and more to do with
  "what's good for the teachers and administrators." Oh wait - I
  got it - STANDARDIZED TESTING. If they don't test for cursive
  writing on standardized tests, then there's no need to teach it.
  Got it - figured it out. "