The Los Altos Hills Public Education Committee, assigned  the town council to look at the potential of a town school district, needs to reacquaint itself with the meaning of the word public.

Last week, members, unhappy their spin was not covered in the local paper, discussed the possibility of holding private meetings. Imagine, a public education committee holding its meetings in private.

We encourage committee members not to entertain this foolish proposition. If what they are really after is public education for children in the hills, holding public meetings is not an option, it’s a necessity.

We understand the fallout from the closure of Bullis-Purissima School and the Bullis Charter School effort has left many involved a bit touchy on both sides of this divisive issue.

But closing off meetings to the public only fuels the fire. It would also prove hypocritical that the same people complaining about the Los Altos School District keeping Bullis Charter School announcements out of newsletters would in turn cut off public attendance to their own meetings. Word to the wise: Don’t do it.