Afternoon Announcements: January 4, 2012

It's the middle of the week so pat yourself on the back for your endurance thus far and enjoy the latest in educational news.

In Boston, parents of special needs children have filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that the Boston public school system has frequently delayed evaluations and placements of preschool children in need of special education. The Boston Globe reports that the lawsuits asserts that delays have left some special-needs children without services for months which has caused regression in developmental progress.

Advances in technology can be a scary thought for many education professionals, especially in terms of potential job security. According to the New York Times, Idaho teachers are objecting to and revolting against policy makers proposing increased use of technology in the classrooms and shifting resources and funding to teaching methods they feel have yet to be proven effective.

Presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman is looking to set himself apart from other candidates in the 2012 Republican field. In doing so he is taking a clear stance on his goals for education reform. As the Huffington Post documents, Huntsman seeks to localize education, minimizing the reach of the Department of Education and ultimately eliminating it from cabinet rank while also advocating for an increase in teacher salaries.