Why is cursive writing so important?

[Soubriquet]

My dc get their homework marked down if it isn’t in cursive (year 2 and 4).

I hate it. I can’t read what they are trying to say and I don’t know anyone who still uses cursive after primary school.

So why is cursive so important for children to learn?

I don’t know anyone who still uses cursive after primary school

Assuming cursive is just a fancy word for joined up, I don't know many adults who don't. It takes longer and takes conscious thought to write not joined up once you know how to join it. People take different lengths of time to "get" it, but once it becomes automatic, it definitely saves time, so I think it is worth persisting with.

I was taught an incredibly flouncy and curly style of cursive in the late 60s/early 70s. My handwriting was dreadful and slow and messy. Add in the requirement to use fountain pen and my books were a disaster!
When I hit secondary school my History teacher used to dictate reams of notes and got frustrated at my slowness. She took away my fountain pen, gave me a decent biro and told me to just print. Which I did. Gradually I developed joins that worked for me. There are some loops and I do use a throwback to my early cursive stuff in my z which looks a bit like a 3. I also do my x a bit like 2 Cs back to back.
By the time I started work as a teacher my handwriting looked incredibly like the Nelson scheme we then used!

My husband learned the same style as me and still uses it but he is not lacking in manual dexterity like I am.

DS could not get to grips with writing at all and now uses a computer for all written work including exams. I was a teacher for years and his is the only writing that ever defeated me! He does have an ASC and associated poor motor control. When he was in Y6 his teacher had the devils own job to get a moderator to accept he was above expected for English as he didn't meet the handwriting requirements.....
DD takes after her Dad and has lovely cursive writing.

I think a lot of the problems stem from the 'one size fits all' approach that is more and more present in education in England.

@VanillaAndOrange

I don’t know anyone who still uses cursive after primary school

Assuming cursive is just a fancy word for joined up, I don't know many adults who don't. It takes longer and takes conscious thought to write not joined up once you know how to join it. People take different lengths of time to "get" it, but once it becomes automatic, it definitely saves time, so I think it is worth persisting with.

Does anyone write that much anymore? My kids are at Uni and everything is done on computers - typing speed is more important. I rarely write for work - mostly type too - is it just school our kids are learning to write fast for?