Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Myrtle Beach, must be feeling a little like Sisyphus these days.

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was the king who was condemned to roll a big rock up a mountain, only to have the rock roll back down. Sisyphus had to begin the process all over each day, and his task never ended.

So it has seemed with the effort, now going on for six years, to force the state's public schools to postpone opening until late August. Most schools now start in early August.

The reason Rankin, other legislators and the hospitality industry favor a later school-start date is simple: An early August start date means tourism drops off drastically before the summer is over. Those earlier starts mean less sales tax revenue going into the state's coffers, and that also means less money for schools.

Most recently, Rankin tried to get a bill passed that would set an advisory referendum, asking voters whether they want school to start no earlier than Aug. 25. It is unlikely the bill will be taken up this year. Rep. Alan Clemmons, R-Myrtle Beach, had filed a similar bill in the House, but it has not been taken up.

The battle has been a tough one because many school boards across the state believe they alone should determine when schools open, and legislators in other parts of the state view the issue as one that primarily affects the Grand Strand and other tourism destinations. But that is not the case, because tourism is the state's largest industry. A tourism economist at the University of South Carolina estimated a couple of years ago that schools starting in late August could produce at least $6 million in additional state sales tax revenue.

This could be a way to boost state revenues - and money to schools - without doing harm to education. Beginning this August, N.C. schools will not open earlier than Aug. 25. Officials there have acted to strengthen their tourism industry.

Rankin, Clemmons and other legislators deserve credit for continuing the fight. Let's hope it pays off eventually.