terrible

Actually, I think that it still looks pretty cool despite having a black and white display.

Well, the problem here is that teachers want calculators that are supposed to do 2+2, unless you buy an iPad without WiFi support with only that math app installed, math teachers won't really buy that and SAT won't really like (after all, the TI-92 is disallowed because it have a QWERTY keyboard), unless they are one of those teachers that requires laptops and stuff.

If you read the newspaper you know that at this time, many schools have issued iPads loaded with textbooks to whole classes, and the trend is going to continue because the schools save a ton of money by not buying printed text books as a result.  So the question is, will these schools also spend money on calculators when a five dollar iPad calculator app can be used?  We are talking about a lot of money and it doesn't matter what the teachers want.  They will be told what they will use and if they don't like it they can find a new job.  No doubt the testing authorities will be required to adapt or find a new job also.  Switching to digital books on iPads is a huge revolution in education.  It is occurring at this very moment.  It is occurring more quickly than anyone ever imagined and no one doubts that for economic reasons it is going to obsolete the use of calculators in math classes.

I would rather have a classpad than an iPad.

Go buy it then if that makes you happy.

If you read the newspaper you know that at this time, many schools have issued iPads loaded with textbooks to whole classes, and the trend is going to continue because the schools save a ton of money by not buying printed text books as a result.  So the question is, will these schools also spend money on calculators when a five dollar iPad calculator app can be used?  We are talking about a lot of money and it doesn't matter what the teachers want.  They will be told what they will use and if they don't like it they can find a new job.  No doubt the testing authorities will be required to adapt or find a new job also.  Switching to digital books on iPads is a huge revolution in education.  It is occurring at this very moment.  It is occurring more quickly than anyone ever imagined and no one doubts that for economic reasons it is going to obsolete the use of calculators in math classes.

It won't be cheaper to use iPads for long. Give it few years and the publishers will figure out this little thing called "DRM" to make sure those schools are forced to keep buying new copies of the books each year.

As for the claim that iPads are cheaper than calculators, um, what? A calculator costs around $130 to buy individually. If bought in bulk, that price goes down significantly. A bottom of the barrel iPad costs around $500. You say that the schools will save money on the textbooks? No, not a chance. As someone who is forced to buy my own textbooks, I can honestly tell you that publishers have no problem charging the same price for an electronic copy as a physical copy. And the disadvantage of electronics is the aforementioned DRM. Currently, most schools will buy a lot of books at once, use those books for a few years (sometimes a few decades...), then go buy more. With electronic books, suddenly the publishers can force schools to buy books every year or two if they want. You're crazy if you think they won't do that as much as they can. Basically, iPads are *not* cheaper than calculators in any sense I can imagine.

Similarly, I find your argument that "...it doesn't matter what the teachers want" to be ridiculous. Yes, it matters. Teachers aren't nearly as replaceable as you appear to think. They're difficult to hire and even more difficult to fire. Any school that annoys enough teachers may face some less than desirable warnings from one of the teacher's unions.

There are some other false claims in your quote, but I think this gets my point across.

I don't mean to be rude by saying that, but an iPad simply isn't my idea of a calculator

I understand.  Because of the lack of a mechanical keyboard the iPad wasn't my idea of a computer.  Then I tried one and got hooked.  It's hard to explain except to say that the user experience is far better than any other device ever gave me.  The only draw back is that I can't make a regular phone call on it.  I hope the iPad 3 changes that.