The argument was made that spins were more likely to occur in the circuit at low level and hence if you got into one you would not get out hence no point in teaching them.
Firstly this is false! It maybe true of the student low time ppl who probably does not fly over 2000 feet but not true as pilots become more adventurous.
Define "adventurous". Fooling around in a (non-aerobatic) airplane at altitude without proper instruction (and maybe carrying passengers waiting to be impressed or so) is not what you mean, I suppose
