This introduction chapter lays the foundation for a critical anthology that bridges Mad Studies and education through a praxis-oriented lens. In response to the growing emphasis on mental health literacy and biomedical interventions in educational institutions, the authors challenge dominant narratives that pathologize student and educator experiences. They critique the expectation that educators act as mental health gatekeepers within frameworks that often ignore the systemic and institutional factors contributing to distress. Drawing from Mad Studies—a field rooted in the lived experiences and political resistance of those labeled as Mad, mentally ill, or neurodivergent—the chapter foregrounds the limitations of psychiatric authority and the need for intersectional, justice-based approaches. The authors position Mad Studies as a vital counter-narrative that critiques the colonial, ableist, and capitalist underpinnings of psychiatry and education. They emphasize the importance of reclaiming “Mad” as both an identity and an epistemological stance, advocating for self-determination, multivocality, and collective care. This anthology emerges from the editors’ diverse experiences across educational contexts in Canada and the U.S., and acknowledges the complexities of theorizing from within settler colonial institutions. The collection critiques the historical and ongoing role of education in normalizing, surveilling, and excluding Mad individuals, particularly those with multiple marginalized identities. It calls for a reimagining of education that embraces Mad knowledge and disrupts neoliberal imperatives of productivity and conformity. Rather than treating madness as a deficit to be overcome, the book explores what Mad perspectives can offer education—from early childhood to higher education.