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In recent years, a number of education polices have sought to integrate parents in school life who are often seen as being “apart”. As part of this effort, migrant and immigrant mothers living in underprivileged neighbourhoods are categorised and identified by teachers. The way they are seen –such as the culturalist requests that aim at integrating them– contributes to a process of ethnicization of social relations. This is reinforced by interactions with parents in which they often bring up their origins. After analysing this process, the article shows how parents learn ways to cope with the symbolic domination of the school. They take back ownership of projects designed to include them (such as the Café des parents). They also conform, but to a minimal extent, to the role of “parent” expected by teachers. The article is based on more than two years of field work in schools located in a neighbourhood deemed underprivileged and draws on 34 qualitative interviews with parents.