This is an exploratory study of the reactions that 65 European American preservice teachers had to the community service learning (CSL) component of a multicultural education course. The CSL project was intended to facilitate the development of intercultural competence and to foster the idea of teachers as agents of social justice. Data analysis revealed that community service learning in relationship to multicultural education both supported and subverted the goals of the course. For many of the preservice teachers, deficit notions about low-income families and families of color were reinforced. CSL created a new awareness of diversity for a few of the students. The values and outcomes fostered by CSL in this context are discussed and problematized. Differential power relationships and issues of privilege that come with being European American and middle class need to be carefully considered if CSL is to facilitate the development of multicultural teachers. Contains 23 references. (Author/BT)