Red herring


 
Name of fallacy Red herring
Aliases Fallacy of relevance
Type Irrelevant Argument, Informal Argument
Description Diversion to another question, to a side issue, or by irrelevant objection
Example "I think that we should make the academic requirements stricter for students. I recommend that you support this, because we are in a budget crisis and we do not want our salaries affected."

Topic A is the proposal that academic requirements be raised. Topic B is the possible effects of a budget crisis on teachers salaries. Topic A is abandoned and the unrelated topic B is introduced. 
Form 
Treatment Dealt with by refusing to be diverted from the original question, but stating again the real question at issue


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