Isn't this is coming a little close to perpetuating new myths that will bite students in the butt later on? I mean, I can appreciate the intent, but isn't it guilty of being one of the 'friendly lies'?

You should have a look at what Pomax at nihongoresources.com has to say: http://www.nihongoresources.com/language/lessons/lesson-01/lesson.html#phrases

He goes into some detail describing how desu and several other constructions you wouldn't consider verbs used to be conjugated and how they're conjugated now.

It's pretty dense reading, but there are no 'friendly lies in it'.