By Marley Malenfant/feature editor

SE government instructor Darrell Castillo was frustrated with the lack of Latino history discussed in community colleges.

He took his frustrations to Austin and got a bill to pass in 2003. Five years later, Castillo put his idea to work on SE Campus. His course is History 1302 with an emphasis on Mexican-American studies.

Castillo said no community colleges offered such a course before the bill passed. When he was hired by SE Campus, a colleague pushed him to get the course started.

“We are one of three community colleges that have Mexican-American studies in the state,” he said. “Heard Floore [SE history associate professor] told me to immediately get that course on its way.”

Most history courses give the European side of history and not enough from a Latino perspective, Castillo said.

“We need to discuss everyone’s contribution,” he said. “This is a Latino class for everybody. There are about 42 students, always full. The makeup of each class is very diverse.”

The same books are required for his course as for a regular 1302 section. He said some of his ideas for the class come from the book Mongrels, Bastards, Orphans and Vagabonds. He tries to expose the injustices throughout American history against Latinos in his lectures, he said.

Castillo said that the high dropout rates among Hispanic students concern him and that more Mexican-Americans need a higher education.

“We come from large families,” he said. “The imperative comes from putting food on the table, a roof over your head and contribute to the family. An education to most Mexican-Americans is a luxury. A job is a reality. They don’t realize that an education equals a better job.”

SE student Tamika Kimbrough said Castillo is entertaining, which eases the course.

“He’s excellent. I like his style of teaching,” she said. “I don’t like to be bored.”

SE student Cali Wright said the course gave a twist on history.

“I’m Mexican, so I wanted to learn more about my background,” she said.

SE student Dominique Ndouagni said he was curious about Hispanic history.

“I wanted to know why Hispanics no longer run Texas anymore like they did years ago,” he said.