I can’t help but feel like there’s far more people who do not need more than really simple calculus than people who do. Should we really disadvantage people by frustrating them with subjects almost useless for them just for the sake of the few who will need it? There could be other things to learn with as much or more interest for them. Calculus can be a good thing but we should stop to make mandatory for a lot of persons and refuse it to reconsider its use.
Calculus is really simple. The part some people have trouble with is that they're forced to remember all the other math they've learned to that point. Others struggle with it because the concepts are new.
There are successful studies teaching 12 year olds calculus, using software that helps them with the computational side (they don't have to remember all their trig rules or how to factor but they need to know when to apply the core ideas). These arguments that people shouldn't learn calculus (or should because they need some rigor) are all wrong. A small number of people should learn to do by hand, all the non-calculus computation they'll run into in calculus. Most people should probably just be taught the main concepts and how to apply them using readily available software that can help them with the calculation part.
