As I motioned to my class to gather around me in our room at the El Camino YMCA, 15 tiny dancers in fluffy pink tutus huddled into a tight circle.

“OK, girls,” I said happily. “I have a secret to tell you!”

We live in Silicon Valley, a place that fosters and respects competition. Our public school system should not be a monopoly and should focus on the best interests of children – not adults. The Los Altos School District Board of Trustees’ decisions show that it is not using the public funds wisely. Allowing portables to be used for decades to house students while the administrators enjoy new buildings is an outrage. We need to change the school boundaries to maximize the usage of each school site. Change is a part of life. It is inefficient to have one school at three locations, especially the biggest school in the district.

Bullis Charter School is a gift to the district. This charter school has successfully offered children an alternative educational choice for 16 years. Its track record is outstanding. I moved my son from our neighborhood school across the street from our home to Bullis Charter School after kindergarten because our home school wasn’t a good match for his learning style and needs. There are many children at Bullis that have different learning styles and the administration makes it easy for children to get the support they need. Bullis welcomes all children including those with an IEP or a 504 Plan.

Potential candidates: What about competency?

The media and their audiences are all excited because of the increased number of young people, women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, gays and transgenders who are entering politics. Clearly missing are short people, tall people, fat people, skinny people, bald people, and don’t forget hairy people.

But the most important qualification of all is never, ever mentioned verbally or in writing. That qualification is competency. The focus of all the new and past candidates applying for a political job is telling you what’s wrong, and what they will do. Not difficult. Match that with a pleasant personality and an articulate ability to speak and you have an elected politician. By the way, those are the same requirements for a successful used-car salesperson.

I feel like somebody convened the Grand Meeting of the Great Parking Space Debate, and somehow my invitation got lost in the mail.

Otherwise, I’m sure I’d have a full understanding of why every parking space in the state of California was designed to fit one half of a Smart Car – and I’m not even sure which half.

Developer loophole kills affordable housing

Regarding Taylor Morrison’s 6Sixty project (“Taylor Morrison’s 6Sixty units exceed $1 million,” Jan. 30):

Every day the alarm is sounded for more affordable housing and then this happens. The developer bulldozes 52 units (and eight heritage trees) to build 37 townhomes.

My trusty, ecologically correct little Prius began showing signs of early Auto-Alz- heimer’s a few months ago. Despite my husband’s urgings, I put off getting a new car. Sure, the Prius was 17 years old, but it only had 116,000 miles on it, and at the rate I was accumulating miles (less than 1,000 miles a year), I had hoped it would be the last car I would own.

But our trusted mechanic, the same one who told my husband that his 14-year-old Camry was good for at least another 100,000 miles, held out no hope. Those warning lights weren’t a fluke, the super mega battery that powered my car was beginning to fail, the power steering was liable to go out if I drove at freeway speed, and I should get rid of the car while it was still drivable at all. He obligingly cleared the warning lights one last time, and we trundled down to the car dealer.