Teachers' raises approved, legal question remains

The three new trustees of Fallbrook Union High School District – Bill O’Connor, Michael Schulte and Marc Steffler – voted with confidence Monday night to approve a $1.6 million package of raises and benefits increases for the 150 teachers in the district, despite some legal opinions that by doing so they are at potential risk for conflict of interest. O’Connor, Schulte and Steffler all have wives who will receive some element of financial benefit from the package.

“This has been a long, arduous process, and the legal opinions contradict each other,” Board President Bill O’Connor said. “I don’t...