So people who couldn't find a max value in an array will somehow excel at advanced concepts later?

You seem to have missed the point of this thread.

The problem an earlier comment expressed is that the student will sabotage themselves.

What else did you think that means besides exactly what you just said?

They sail through the beginning and splat in the middle, because they didn't have to learn anything in the beginning.

My comment is reponding to one that says the problem is that students get diplomas witbout learning.

I am saying that diplomas and certs are not a problem, not that there is no problem. The problem is what the earlier comment said in the first place.

Actually I'm not even sure that's a problem either in the long term, but it is the immediate problem. It may just be during a transition period while schools have not yet adapted to reality and are still worried about calculators in math classes. But at this moment, it's a problem.