In this paper I reflect on perspectives presented by John Settlage as he examines the truth of the proposition that "many teacher educators harbour deficit perspectives about their pre-service teachers, presuming that their lack of exposure to economically, ethnically and linguistically diverse settings renders them deficient as future educators." In the study presented in his paper, he "uncovered shifting identities that indicate that mainstream future teachers do not fit the "damaged goods" label that ardent multiculturalists might be tempted to impose." One of his conclusions was that "the practices of essentializing education majors because of their perceived deficiencies born of privilege are inaccurate and unproductive." My reflections focus on tertiary teacher-researchers in mathematics, information technology, environmental sciences and engineering, their students and racism, and broaden Settlage's context to teaching and research relationships in this setting.