When inclusion excludes: Challenging social mixing as a solution to educational inequality through the lens of gentrification

Social mixing or desegregation is frequently presented as a means to reduce inequalities affecting minoritized and low-income communities not only in neighborhoods but also in schools. Building on the emerging literature on school gentrification, this study examines this master narrative by centering the experiences of minoritized working-class families in a gentrifying innercity school in Ghent, Belgium. Using interview data, we argue that social mixing does not necessarily eliminate existing inequalities but can, in fact, generate new ones. The article concludes by outlining key implications for future research, policy and practice.