Equity Is Personal: From Special Ed Student to Decision Maker - Anthony Barnes

In this episode of Brighter Together, Anthony Barnes shares a deeply personal and powerful story: from being a student in special education to leading systems that serve students just like him. He unpacks the structural biases, labeling issues, and missed opportunities that too many students face—and how school leaders can dismantle those patterns with empathy, equity, and lived experience. This isn’t just an episode about special education—it’s about what happens when the people making decisions have walked the same path.