My grade school self would be all for not having to be forced to learn to write cursive writing. I think people who think you can’t learn to read it without learning to write it are being silly.
I learned it ok by about 4th-5th grade, just in time to have Middle School no longer require or care about it.
I don’t think I ever got faster with cursive than with printing, which I hear was supposedly the point of cursive.
I reverted to printing, which is much clearer, and which I prefer.
I think they should still teach it, but should be far nicer and less insistent and judgemental about it. I’d recommend the teaching approach: “Hey, here’s a fancy way you can write, which can look really nice and be faster, and is good for signing your name.” I wouldn’t spend much emphasis on it but would make it available for those interested.
And is there truly anyone out there who can read, but can’t read cursive?
Depends on the cursive. There are people who have trouble reading some cursive, and some people who write some particularly challenging cursive.