When Teachers Waged War Against Calculators

In the 1970s, a tiny electronic device sparked one of the most unexpected battles in education. It wasn't over politics, funding, or curriculum. It was over whether students should be allowed to use calculators.

In this episode of History Shorts, we explore the surprising controversy known as the "Calculator Wars." As handheld calculators became affordable and classrooms across America began adopting them, many teachers feared students would lose the ability to perform basic arithmetic, think critically, or truly understand mathematics. The debate became so heated that, at one national mathematics education conference, protesters picketed their own professional...