Arguments for memorizing multiplication tables

I am a middle school math teacher. I am currently in a minor debate with our instructional coach about whether students should memorize multiplication tables (ideally they would have done this in elementary school but for many/most it just hasn’t happened). I feel that they need to memorize at least through the 10’s; she says if they haven’t memorized by now forget it and give them a calculator. Without spending an inordinate amount of time in class, I would like to at least try to get most of them to memorize the basics.

I realize there are some who, for whatever reason, cannot memorize the tables. However, for the vast majority who are capable I feel it will only make life easier. I’m trying to explain to our coach some of the slightly more advanced topics that they’ll really need this for and here’s what I have: simplifying radicals; factoring; multiplying and dividing polynomials; geometric sequences; easily recognizing proportions; simplifying fractions (she’ll say who cares and maybe she has a point). Any others you can think of? Maybe you’ll disagree with me and feel they don’t need to have the tables (mostly) memorized; that’s fine too.