Marlon Williams Marlon Delano Williams said a recent epiphany inspired him to get involved in politics. Now he's competing with seven others to earn a seat on the Conejo Valley Unified School Board.

"Last year, for some reason, I had some intuition or a dream that I wanted to start taking a political course in my life," said Williams, a driving instructor. "I don't just want to be a community leader. I want to expand it. I want to find out what it is about people that makes them people."

He said he recently ran for grand marshal of Conejo Valley Days to get a taste of holding a leadership position.

"The next thing I decided to do was run for school board," Williams said. "I didn't think it would be for three or four or five years, but I decided to do it this time. Because I've been around in the community so long now, people enjoy my presence. I'm hoping I'll be a positive role model for children in the area so they can take on leadership roles later on in the future."

Williams was born and raised in Thousand Oaks and graduated from CVUSD schools, including University Elementary, a school slated for closure next year.

"I know a lot of people who are a little devastated to hear it's closing," he said.

He would vote against school closure if a revote came up.

"I don't agree with closing schools," Williams said. "I've heard different arguments about it. Some people believe children will do better going to different schools and some people think the schools are going to get a little overcrowded and they'll have to get portables and shuffle teachers around.

"We'll find out what the effects of all this will be next year."

Williams said there are other issues he looks forward to tackling if elected.

"I know there are difficulties and there are rough spots going on in the district, like declining students and there not being proper funding and being in debt," he said. "I feel like things are almost out of people's hands. I know all these things are not entirely related to people governing the school board. They do have the ability to make a situation less severe."

The budget is one such "rough spot."

"They are going to have to be smart with how money is spent," Williams said. "They need to really take into consideration what are necessities as opposed to wants or desire. The district is going through a really poor economic situation right now. They are going to have to learn how to save."

Williams attended Moorpark College in 1999. He is now in his final semester at California State University Channel Islands and plans on getting a teaching credential.

The candidate has been a driving instructor for 10 years and also works as a special education paraprofessional at CVUSD.

He has refereed basketball in a children's league for 15 years.

"There are things I want to pursue later on in life," Williams said. "I want to expand my knowledge and bring it to a larger level. I don't know if I want to go so far as state, national or worldwide. But it's all about having experience under your belt."

The school board will be the first notch in that belt, he said.

"I want to know what they are really, really, really doing behind the scenes," Williams said. "I know there is something to be learned here. I understand it's a tough position and there's a lot of work involved. There's a lot of time and energy that's put into being on the school board. That's something I'm willing to commit to. I'll find out what my role will be later on in the future."