This thesis explores the fundamental disconnect between California’s image as a national champion of progressive youth sex education and the failure to implement and monitor the instruction of comprehensive sex education as outlined by sections 51930-51939 of the California Education Code.

This thesis reviews many of the historical, constitutional and legal factors behind today's gun control policy and how they relate to the laws governing the carrying of concealed firearms within the state of Oregon. Many legal cases are explored for their impact on the carriage of concealed weapons. A thorough examination was made of the Oregon legislative history behind HB 3470, sponsored by then-House Speaker Vera Katz, which was enacted in July 1989, was effective January 1, 1990, and became the kernel of the snowball passage of CCW (carry concealed weapon) laws within the United States. Statistical tests were conducted and revealed that the passage of the Oregon law did not result in an increased murder rate. The paper concludes by exploring the arguments raised against the concealed handgun licensing law in Oregon. These arguments are found to be both historically inaccurate and statistically inadequate.

Passed on April 27th, 1909 by the 56th General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the General Education Bill of 1909 established state funding for the establishment and maintenance of normal schools devoted to the education and professional training of teachers in the state of Tennessee. One normal school was established in each division of the state.Two years later, using funding from this act, East Tennessee State Normal School was founded in 1911 and would eventually become East Tennessee State University.

Passed April 7, 1921 by the 62nd General Assembly of the state of Tennessee, Senate Bill no.856, overhauled education funding within the state. All state education funds were combined into one fund thereafter known as the State School fund, to be appropriated according to the provisions of this bill. After other expenses, Senate Bill no.856 established 4.5% of all remaining state funding would be distributed to each of the normal schools.

United States Public Law 92-541, commonly known as the Teague-Cranston Act, called for the creation of five new medical schools in five states to meet the needs of medically under served areas of the country. The act, as passed, required that the new schools be "located in proximity to, and operated in conjunction with, Veterans' Administration medical facilities." This worked in ETSU's favor as the university is located adjacent to the Mountain Home VA Hospital. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon, this would eventually lead to the establishment of the Quillen College of Medicine.

Following the passage of the Teague-Cranston Act, on February 14, 1974 Senator Nave of the Tennessee General Assembly called for consideration of state legislation to establish a medical school at East Tennessee State University. Eventually passing both the Tennessee House and Senate, the bill was vetoed by Governor Winfield Dunn of Memphis. Motions to override the veto were made in both chambers and were successful. Senate Bill no.1549 became law on March 6, 1974.

With the passage of the Teague-Cranston Act and efforts to establish a medical school underway in the Tennessee Legislature, East Tennessee State University had already begun the planning process for the new medical school. This plan was submitted to the Tennessee Board of Regents on February 1, 1974 by the ETSU Medical Education Study Committee which clarified the specifics of what the Quillen College of Medicine would eventually become. The physical copy of this item can be found in the Archives of Appalachia at East Tennessee State University. For access or more information please contact the Archives of Appalachia.

Following the passage of the Teague-Cranston Act and Tennessee state legislation, with the Plan for Medical Education in place, the next step was qualifying for federal funds. With the help of U.S. Representative Jimmy Quillen and the State Board of Regents Chancellor Roy Nicks, the application for funds was approved by the Veterans Administration on July 11, 1974. However, it was not until Dr. Culp's last day in office as President of ETSU, that the Liason Committee on Medical Education issued a letter of reasonable assurance that the new medical school would be accredited. The physical copy of this item can be found in the Archives of Appalachia at East Tennessee State University. For access to the physical copy or more information please contact the Archives of Appalachia.

The foster care system is responsible for taking care of society’s most vulnerable children and it is important that the system can be reformed as needed to meet the needs of these children. Institutional reform litigation is an ineffective method of improving the child welfare system and should no longer be relied upon. Although widely used institutional reform litigation is not efficient or effective in improving the foster care system. Litigation is unsuccessful in achieving reform because it does not embrace collaboration, cooperation, or communication but instead fosters a hostile environment in which the agencies under court mandate are expected to enact change. In 2006, two new organizations were established in California, the California Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care and the California Child Welfare Council. Both of these organizations created recommendations for improving foster care. Unlike institutional reform litigation, these two organizations worked collaboratively with various agencies and government branches in order to come up with recommendations that were feasible. These two organizations provide a method of reform that is less myopic and more supportive, allowing for meaningful improvements within California’s foster care system.

This study explores the ways in which federal and state authorities have sought to deal with a difficult problem of political power in the context of the U.S. Constitution. Oregon reapportionment history offers an appropriate introduction to a critique of the national reapportionment decisions of Baker vs Carr and Reynolds vs Sims. Its Constitution stipulated population and the ratio derived from a population based formula were the means by which apportionment was to be determined and noncompliance had been particularly evident from 1933 to 1952. Also, by the initiative process and a decision by the Oregon Supreme Court, Oregon had resolved its reapportionment problem before national action was taken, demonstrating that a state could resolve such problems without national intervention. The critique of Baker vs Carr is an attempt to examine the soundness of its judicial logic and thereby to demonstrate the impact it has had in perpetrating certain concepts of government. The data consulted included interviews with people directly involved in the events considered, Supreme Court decisions, secondary studies, state documents containing legislative minutes and exhibits. Oregon reapportionment history shows the ability of a state to solve a controversial political problem through the initiative process. However, the judicial logic in Baker vs Carr has created a new majoritarian philosophy of government that is unmindful of traditional concepts of federalism, and the Oregon experience.