Does penmanship matter?
A recent letter bemoaned the penmanship of the author’s younger relative and what schools are teaching in regard to penmanship. My penmanship can only be described as atrocious.
My dad went to my 3rd grade teacher and complained about my poor penmanship. My teacher said that when I get into the workforce, everything will be on computers and it won’t matter. My teacher was right. I have had a 26-year-long — and counting — career in the technology sector. I have held various management and non-management roles with significant responsibility for the success of my employer.
My poor penmanship has been an issue zero times in 26 years. The last job I accepted, I didn’t have to actually sign any paperwork. Everything was a digital signature.
Complaining about penmanship in 2026 is like complaining about the lack of good horsemanship after the invention of the automobile. We don’t “write” anything anymore.
Schools should be focused — especially in the high schools years — on the skills that will help students succeed in the workforce. These include soft skills like being an effective communicator, working as a team and being able to prioritize. These skills will land you a job much faster than neat penmanship.