Dr. Annise Mabry’s Educational Disobedience: A Mom Who Became a Movement is a captivating memoir and guide that suggests upending the status quo of how things operate in education. Based on her life as a mom, teacher, and advocate, Dr. Mabry discusses her theory of “educational disobedience” as a way to fix a system where many students often fall though the safety nets. Educational Disobedience feels like a call to action for parents and educators willing and needing to change our educational systems in the best interests of our children.

Educational Disobedience is all about empowering students through a kind of disruption to the traditional systems. Dr. Mabry shares her story of homeschooling her daughter who struggled in traditional schools. The experience changed her mind about the educational systems and inspired her to create the Tiers Free Homeschool Cooperative. The cooperative operates as a unique, community-driven model that offers trauma-informed, inclusive alternatives for students who regularly get overlooked by the average school system.

Dr. Mabry’s storytelling is very personal and extremely powerful. She doesn’t hold back when talking about the tough times she’s lived through, such as feeling overwhelmed while being a homeschooling parent or facing unfair situations for both her and her daughter from the school system. Her honest thoughts, like realizing she needed to break free from ‘the box’ and think outside the lines, struck a nerve with parents and teachers she encountered along the way. These moments showed her unwavering commitment to creating a learning environment where every child feels loved, supported, and ready to shine. It’s a beautiful story that’s quite inspiring.

The book goes beyond just personal stories, though, and tackles bigger issues such as social justice and a broken educational and economic system. Dr. Mabry proves that regular schooling usually doesn’t work for kids who don’t come from money, like homeless youth, LGBTQ+ students, and those who’ve lived through trauma. She believes in homeschooling designed and customized based on trauma, which means parsing, understanding, and applying different tools for each child’s needs, even changing how you teach them to fit their individual needs.

Educational Disobedience is a fantastic guide and template for anyone looking to make a difference in education. Dr. Mabry lays out the issues but also provides practical advice and real world, doable solutions on how it’s possible to fix them. For example, she shows you how to create flexible learning paths in order to help students grow and succeed, emphasizing the importance of literacy and personal development. Her step-by-step guide to developing community-driven education models that put students first is invaluable. These are just two excellent tools readers can use that are practical and helpful.

The doctor’s storytelling voice is super engaging, mixing personal stories with philosophical thoughts. Dr. Mabry’s love for making sure everyone has equal chances in education is obvious on every page; it’s impossible to not be inspired by her passion, vision, and results. Her work is a genuine call to action for parents, teachers, and government officials who aim to rethink education while fighting for tangible changes to not only the system, but to how education is approached.

Educational Disobedience: A Mom Who Became a Movement brings hope through rethinking where we are and where we can land. Dr. Mabry proves that real change begins with brave people who dare to challenge the norm. Echoing her title, as a mother, Dr. Mabry started the movement but is now growing. Whether you’re a parent of a child at risk, an educator looking for new ways to teach, or someone who wants to make sure all students get a fair shot, this book is an absolute must-read. I’m left feeling the book is a huge reminder that when sympathetic and motivated people come together, remain strong, and don’t give up, we can create and implement a far better future for all students.

“Disobedience in education isn’t about rebellion—it’s about empowerment.”

“Dr. Mabry’s story proves that one parent’s determination can spark a movement, inspiring others to reimagine education as a pathway to justice and inclusion.”