AIBU to think "The Ned Show" is bogus, quasi-evangelist, money-grubbing scam?

[whistleahappytune]

AIBU? Just got a letter from the school about these "motivational assemblies". Does anyone have any experience of these? Apparently they put a lot of pressure on the kids to buy yo-yos (very expensive ones). It all sounds incredibly cheesy and there's a tinge of Evangelical Christianity on their website. It's a profit-making company and they charge a lot of money to visit schools. Money that personally I think could be put to better use inviting a real theatre group, or band or orchestra to the school.

I'm perfectly prepared to be told I am BU - in fact, I'd be delighted to be wrong about this. Wise MNers, tell me what you think.

Anybody?

Ummm, where's the tinge of Christianity? From what I can understand the show itself is OK but there is an emphasis on selling the yo-yos with associated nagging of parents etc. I agree it would be preferable to have a non-profit organisation come in.

Ok, it's very subtle, but the term "servant-hearted" pops up in their "about us" part of the website. This is code for evangelical Christian. Perhaps that's not worth getting upset about. But it's the commercialisation and hawking yo-yo's to kids under the guise of some cheesy American-style motivational speech. Eeeks.

I don't think it is ever acceptable for schools to allow promotion of products to their kids, even if the show is really good. If there's an option to pay for the show without the hawking of yoyos then that would be good. Have you asked the school about it?