Is knowing how to spell still relevant?

Washington Post

28-05-2025

Note: There are 24 misspelled words in this story. Phrases that could simply be improved don't count — only true typos! Be careful: Five incorrectly identified errors is game over.
TAP on a word to catch a typo.
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On May 27, students 15 years of age and under from around the country will gather in Maryland to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Though I applaud these kids for their dedication and perseverance, the whole idea of a national spelling bee raises a larger question: In an age of spell-check, LOL texting and emojis, is knowing how to spell still relevent?
I say yes.
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It never ceases to amaze me when I recieve emails from a collegue loaded with mispellings. I think to myself: 'How are they not embarassed?'
Though I understand that I'm not the grammer police and it isn't my responsibilty to point out other people's errors, I know that when I do, I definately feel like I'm performing a public service.
To my knowledge, no independant organization has ever examined this problem. But I find it difficult to beleive that the majority of Americans think it's fine to misspell words simply because it's convenient.
Sure, everyone makes mistakes. But it seems these days that many people are consciously deciding not to proofread their work, probably because they think it's unneccessary and too time-consuming. This is particularly galling if the writer is a well-educated person of priviledge.
Back when I was an entreprenure hiring for a position, I would automatically reject potential candidates if their employment questionaire contained spelling errors. It was my belief that misspellings superceded all else, even if the person was applying for a job as a maintainance worker and had a great deal of experiance.
Until the various government agencies and unions involved in education come to a concensus that spelling is important and take steps to create an enviroment where spelling is once again an important peice of the school curriculum, I guarantee that this situation will only get worse.
I strongly reccommend that parents, teachers and politicians sieze upon the occassion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee to launch a neccessary national conversation about this problem.