Perhaps one good thing is happening from Gov. Mark Sanford's behavior over the federal stimulus package money from Washington D.C. - the issue has brought a new light on public education in South Carolina.

More people are seeing how precariously funded the public education system is in the state through the state sales tax. This has been quite evident through the $387 million in cutbacks the state education department - one department - has suffered through in this fiscal year.

Local educators and education supporters haven't just let the education equation play itself out in Columbia or Washington. Just last week, teachers marched in protest in Columbia about education funding through the stimulus package. Sanford, while having relented on South Carolina receiving federal recovery money, is still holding out on giving over a portion of that money earmarked for education. Sanford's idea is to use it to pay down the state's debt.

Whether South Carolinians think Sanford is taking a wise longer view on financial conditions or just being shortsighted, the whole situation shows the dependence of the South Carolina public education system on Columbia's purse strings.

In the Barnwell 45 school district, 73 percent of its budget comes from what the General Assembly allots it that year.

Come April 14, the voting precincts of Barnwell County will open as the three public school districts hold their school board races.

For the winners of these races and the already seated board members, much of what they deal with are local actions and consequences in the day-to-day operations of their respective districts.

However, much of what impacts their school district - our school districts - comes out of Columbia and Washington.

Unfortunately, school board elections are off-cycle and off-season typically in terms of the tides of state and national elections.

Hence, statewide as well as Barnwell County, school board elections endemically have very low voter turnout. In Barnwell County, school board elections garner no more than 15 percent participation from the whole voting public.

What a shame.

The most localized election with the most accessible candidates that will have the most impact on ourselves and our neighbors and especially our children - gets the least action from citizenry of all elections out there.

Go vote.

One other thing voters should consider as they choose between school board candidates...

While school board members should obviously look to their constituents within a district, it would benefit them greatly to not only become better observers of the politics of Washington and particularly Columbia, but they should be more vocal toward state and federal politicians, whose own actions can have such a rippling effect that can be felt all the way into classrooms.

Again - go vote. What you decide has effects in the county just like what is decided in Washington and Columbia is affecting us now.