The phrase "avoid a discussion" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating a desire to not engage in a conversation or debate about a particular topic.
Example: "In order to maintain a peaceful atmosphere, we should try to avoid a discussion about politics during dinner."
Alternatives: "steer clear of a conversation" or "refrain from discussing".
They want to avoid a discussion on public service pay.
"There's no doubt whatsoever they want to avoid a discussion on privatisation.
His views are largely omitted to avoid a discussion about them, resulting in a one-sided debate.
With speculation rife about how Britain plans to conduct the negotiations, Tusk wants to avoid a discussion and will not invite other EU leaders to respond.
Mrs. Clinton accused Mr. Lazio of trying to avoid a discussion about his positions on health care and the economy by raising what she asserted were false claims about her commitment to Israeli security.
He dismissed the reports as "political attacks by his political enemies -- the two most guilty culprits being Mayor Jim McGreevey and Mayor Bret Schundler, who will do anything to avoid a discussion on issues".
Jan Moors, the presiding judge then noted that Mr Wilders has been accused of being "good in taking a stand and then avoiding a discussion" of the issue.
In the end, the same holds true for an estate: avoiding a discussion about your money will not keep your adult children from thinking about it.
Shockingly, he claims that others have "avoided a discussion of unit cohesion," while he himself fails to address a single one of the dozens of studies that show no link between openly gay service and impaired cohesion.
Instead, advocates for gays in the service have by and large avoided a discussion of unit cohesion, relying instead on arguments falling into three categories: training costs, civil rights and individual performance.
Wednesday morning, as I ate one of the best (complimentary!) omelets of my life, I read all about AOL CEO Tim Armstrong, who had made an appearance at the conference the day before and in doing so avoided a discussion of the whole "distressed babies" fracas he was currently entangled in.
