Boy fighting to keep Kintore school open

Nathan Law talks about saving A.J. Baker Public School in Kintore, Ont. on Friday, April 26, 2013. (Sean Irvine / CTV London)

A seven-year-old student has a message for trustees at the Thames Valley District School Board - leave A.J. Baker Public School alone.

The rural school in Kintore is at risk of closing as the school board looks for savings amid falling enrollment.

But Nathan Law, a grade one student who says his favourite part of school is recess, is inspiring others with his efforts to help save the school.

He says he wants to keep the school open because “I like it, and really, I haven’t been there for too long yet.”

For his last birthday, he asked friends for cash for the school, instead of birthday presents.

The $145 he raised will go towards an awareness campaign, spreading the word that A.J. Baker won’t close without a fight.

Marcus Ryan of the ‘Save AJ. Baker School Campaign,’ who is also a parent with children at the school, says it isn’t under-utilized and even had to put in portables to deal with demand.

“And at no point was there ever a plan forthe board to do anything about that. So the school's at over 150 per cent capacity. There really isn’t declining enrollment at A.J. Baker.”

Nathan and his mom know his younger brother and sister would face a longer bus ride to an unfamiliar community if the school is closed, so they hope more people will support the campaign.

Cori Law says “His brother has a birthday in September, and he talks about doing the same. And one of Nathan said one of his friends is thinking about [raising money to help the school].”