In our study we analyse a specific aspect of the mass presence of Roma pupils in schools: the context in which the social environment of Szeklerland creates the context for the schooling of Roma pupils. After outlining the characteristics of the regional social context, we present some classroom situations which for teachers bear the challenges of confronting the cultural difference of pupils. The research method is interviews with teachers in Roma-majority classrooms. Our research shows that a significant part of the work of teachers in Roma-majority classrooms is not about teaching, but about managing cultural difference. In the context of the specific social conditions of the Szekler region, in addition to the social approach (extreme poverty) and the search for methodological solutions in the education of Roma children, it is also useful to pay attention to the social relations as a frame of the educational process.