In the last two decades the proportion of children of color in public schools in the U.S. has increased to about 40%. However, this has not been accompanied by a corresponding increase in teachers of color. Many college and university teaching institutions have attempted to deal with the increase in the number of students of color in the public schools and the lack of minority teaching candidates by increasing the number of courses offered on diversity as part of their teaching programs. Students entering teaching programs have had prior experience with issues of diversity either through personal experiences or exposure to popular media. Sometimes, their own school curriculum introduces them to issues of diversity. The popular discourse on diversity issues whether in public schools or in popular media is fraught with problems regarding both the conceptualization of what diversity is and the framing of the problems surrounding issues of diversity. Students also come with pre-conceived notions about the role of schooling in society and the goals of education in the development of a person. Many of these ideals may conflict with the goals of a multicultural education program that truly leads to the empowerment of all children. This article discusses the myths that have been encountered by the authors in their personal teaching experiences with college students, and the impact of these myths on student teachers' understanding of their roles in classrooms. The authors hope to introduce readers to other writers who have commented and studied the myths. Finally some suggested teaching tips are offered as part of teacher education courses that will help clarify some of these issues for student teachers in their effort to be effective allies to underrepresented and marginalized students in their own classrooms.