CAMARILLO : Diamond Leaves Pleasant Valley School Board

An outspoken member of the Pleasant Valley Elementary School District board of trustees who helped establish alternative schools in Camarillo has stepped down from the board after 13 years of service.

Leonard Diamond, who did not seek reelection Nov. 3, said that, after more than a decade of public service, it was time to move on.

“I was on the board for 13 years. I’ve done enough,” Diamond said. Robert Rexford was elected to take Diamond’s seat on the board, beginning Dec. 10.

At a reception in his honor last week, Diamond, 55, was serenaded by a marching band of elementary students and awarded a stylized trophy by district officials.

Diamond, a clinical forensic psychologist, joined the school board in 1979 to “have an influence on the district,” he said.

“As a psychologist, I teach people different options to deal with their lives,” Diamond said.

“The most important part of our culture is that public schools enhance and continue our society.”

In the ‘80s, Diamond sought to give students and parents choices in public education and helped develop the district’s first two alternative schools, Bedford Open School and Los Primeros Structured School in Camarillo.

Known as an outspoken board member, Diamond said his opinions on everything from gym towels to year-round schools to busing have irritated people in the community.

“Every time I opened my mouth, I had someone hating me,” he said.

But school district officials said Diamond will be missed.

“His greatest strength is his ability to look at the big picture, take all the parts and put it all together in workable ways,” Supt. Shirley Carpenter said.

“I’m going to miss his sense of humor. He’s done a lot for this district,” school board member Jan McDonald said.

District officials presented Diamond with a trophy, adorned with a toy school bus and geraniums, to poke fun at one of Diamond’s pet peeves.

“He didn’t think the district should be in the transportation business,” Carpenter said.

“Instead, he would say that (school) buses would make good planters.”