AR::Base#write_attribute is a public method

activerecord/test/cases/attribute_methods_test.rb

@@ -298,13 +298,13 @@ def setup
 
   test "write_attribute" do
     topic = Topic.new
-    topic.send(:write_attribute, :title, "Still another topic")
+    topic.write_attribute :title, "Still another topic"
     assert_equal "Still another topic", topic.title
 
     topic[:title] = "Still another topic: part 2"
     assert_equal "Still another topic: part 2", topic.title
 
-    topic.send(:write_attribute, "title", "Still another topic: part 3")
+    topic.write_attribute "title", "Still another topic: part 3"
     assert_equal "Still another topic: part 3", topic.title
 
     topic["title"] = "Still another topic: part 4"
@@ -395,13 +395,13 @@ def topic.write_attribute(attr_name, value)
       super(attr_name, value.downcase)
     end
 
-    topic.send(:write_attribute, :title, "Yet another topic")
+    topic.write_attribute :title, "Yet another topic"
     assert_equal "yet another topic", topic.title
 
     topic[:title] = "Yet another topic: part 2"
     assert_equal "yet another topic: part 2", topic.title
 
-    topic.send(:write_attribute, "title", "Yet another topic: part 3")
+    topic.write_attribute "title", "Yet another topic: part 3"
     assert_equal "yet another topic: part 3", topic.title
 
     topic["title"] = "Yet another topic: part 4"