This study, set in the teacher education program of a large, Midwestern public university, examines metaphors used by elementary pre-service teachers in writing about diversity and teaching in diverse settings with diverse populations. Using metaphor analysis methodology grounded in Lakoff and Johnson's work on conceptual metaphor and working through the lenses of constructivism and critical theory, we as researchers take notice that though students' words apparently mirror those of their professors, the meanings are often misapplied or missing altogether. Although at first glance our results may seem critical of the pre-service teachers, in actuality, we seek to uncover the tensions inherent in teaching "for" diversity. Metaphors identified include "diversity as an object of value; diversity as a guest in the inn; diversity as a construction project; teacher as taxonomist, archaeologist, and/or connoisseur; teacher as voyeur; and student as voyeur." (Contains 1 figure.)