Screaming Penguin - Source Does Matter

I don't think there have been any definitive replies here, because there actually isn't a definitive answer - it's more of a style issue.

First off, cursive is pointless to teach anyway. Kids aren't allowed to use it outside of 3rd or 4th grade or so, in high school and college papers have to be typed. In the real world papers have to be typed. It's really only useful for quick "joined" handwriting (the etymology of cursive indicates it means joined letters), and aesthetically pleasing handwritten prose, so not really worthwhile at all in an academic setting (I can think of a thousand better things to teach kids that age).

Second there really should be no "adamant" stance either way, because both ways are correct (it being a style issue, there is no incorrect/correct). Seems to me it is more logical that there would *not* be a space (it's "joined" writing after all), but whatever the teacher says is actually the "right" way, so tell the kids to pay attention to the guidelines before the test and they will be fine, spaces or not - and, once they get past 4th grade or so they can forget about it forever like the rest of us ;).

Third, just to stoke the flames anyway, after already saying there is no right or wrong way, if you look at the Declaration of Independence, the authors of that document, back in the days when writing did matter, did NOT use spaces in several contractions therein.
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/readings/declaration_image.jpg
(...nature's god entitle them . . ., for example)