While I do agree that spelling and punctuation can be important and I believe they have taken a real down turn in todays world, I don't think that they are the do all and end all...
Take my dad as an example. He holds 3 degrees, 1 in weather that being his job in the Air Force. One in Geology and was in that field for over 20 years and has graduated at the top of his class a couple years ago in nursing and now has a job with the state. Now to some of you I'll bet a degree in nursing dosn't sound like much but have seen the work he had to do in those classes most of it I couldn't possibly understand and to come in top of his class at 57 years old I think was a great show of his intelligence.
How ever he has to be one of the worst users of spelling, punctuation and grammar that I know, me coming in a close second
. He's constantly asking my mom how to spell things and we keep correcting his constant use of the word them, as in "Them things"
If employers base to much of their decision to hire someone on the fact that they arn't great at spelling, punctuation or grammar I think they could be missing out on some of the most intellegent and well quallified people for the position being offered.
Another point I have is when I read a book or what have you I totally ignor all the punctuation in the thing. I don't need a . at the end of a scentance to tell me that is the end of what someone is saying or an ! to tell me someone in the story is excited or yelling or the ? to tell me they are asking a question. To tell the truth I don't even see them when I read. It's kinda like listening to someone speak, when people talk they don't say period, exclamation point and question mark after everything they say. For me it's just common scence to know these things when I read. Though I do belive that others seem to rely on these to tell them things that I understand without them. I think it's just a difference in the way people think.
Well these are my thoughts on the matter and mind you I'm in no way saying that these things shouldn't be tought... You may now poke fun at my spelling, punctuation and grammar.