They were not bo staffs. They were 2x2 pine. And when they're that long, they break really easily.
Hmm, yeah, you're right. We use pine bos at our school, and they look kind of similar. And we use pine because it's softer and less likely to injure you than a hardwood (when you inevitably crack yourself on the leg a dozen times), so I suppose that says something.
That kind of crap isn't martial arts. It's theatrics. I lost interest when they stopped doing anything MA related.
Yeah, it's one thing to play things up and be flashy, and another thing to totally depart from what you're supposed to be teaching. Doing jump side kicks over other students to break a board is flashy, but jump side kick is an actual TKD move. Hitting people on the arm with a hammer is not.