"I agree. If schools had to prove absolute economic necessity and irreplacability then cursive would certainly not meet that standard. Of course, the same could be said of literature, world history, US history, art, music, handwriting, home economics, etc., etc."
Fail, although art and music are considered electives for significant reasons.
The other classes are significant because not teaching them chokes off HUGE avenues of understanding and knowledge about the modern world.
Not teaching cursive doesn't do that, because you're not choking off the teaching of all scripted forms of communication, i.e., promoting illiteracy.