RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- North Carolina legislators say they want public schools to get back to basics by ensuring they teach cursive writing and rote multiplication in elementary school.
The Senate gave final approval Thursday to a House bill requiring school boards ensure their students can create readable cursive documents by the end of fifth grade and can show they've memorized multiplication tables. The bill entitled Back to Basics now goes to Gov. Pat McCrory's desk for his signature.
Many bill supporters say the measure is needed because national Common Core standards now followed by North Carolina and most state leave out cursive handwriting.
The Senate passed the bill with three Democrats voting no. Some protesters of Republican policies have called the bill an example of overreach at the legislature.
