Cumming, GA (Atlanta, Gainesville, Suwanee: crime, homes, purchase)

[0804tkg]

I am in the process of searching for a home in Cumming or Suwanee. My realtor is telling me to try to avoid purchasing a home in the Otwell middle school district. I'd like to get some other opinions on this. Anyone have any info on this particular middle school???

Thanks

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by 0804tkg

I am in the process of searching for a home in Cumming or Suwanee. My realtor is telling me to try to avoid purchasing a home in the Otwell middle school district. I'd like to get some other opinions on this. Anyone have any info on this particular middle school???

Thanks

You will probably want to browse through and/or post the inquiry in the thread we created at the top of the room specifically for this type of question: https://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...-one-keep.html

[atlbravo]

Originally Posted by 0804tkg

I am in the process of searching for a home in Cumming or Suwanee. My realtor is telling me to try to avoid purchasing a home in the Otwell middle school district. I'd like to get some other opinions on this. Anyone have any info on this particular middle school???

Thanks

Did your realtor given reasons to avoid this particular middle school?

[Georgia]

Purchase this weeks issue of The Atlanta Business Chronicle. It has the full breakdown of Atlanta metro schools by county. All statistics, no political bull.

[0804tkg]

just said that it wasn't as desireable as the others

[southern no more]

Your realtor doesn't know jack! That school is very good. The teachers care about their students and the students are good kids. I work in the school system and have insider views on this. The realtor is probably saying this because most of the other middle schools in the county are 99% white students while Otwell has some color within its population. Unfortunately, Forsyth county still does have some ties with the KKK. Not to mention the homes in the Otwell district will not be as expensive as in others. Your realtor is probably just trying to make a few extra bucks!

[0804tkg]

Maybe so..... I don't mind a little diversity, I just want a quality school where my child doesn't have to worry about gangs or punk kids.

[MovedfromFL]

Be very careful about the gangs. I live in Gainesville (a short ride from Cumming) and we have a gang problem. There were several gang incidents in the schools, as well as two shootings around town. In the middle school, several girls were found beating another girl as part of a gang "beat in" (the girl wanted to join the gang). Gang members also trespassed onto the high school grounds and were walking around the cafeteria looking for other gang members or something. (the school had to get security at the front gate after that)

I hate to be "un PC" if you know what I mean, but both Gainesville and Cumming have a population of Mexican students (parents work at the chicken plants) 99% of our gang issues here are Mexican, not black as some would think. Oh, and the most recent gang activity here was a burglary ring where the youngest kid was only 11. These boys stole tv's and at least one gun from homes in a nice area, and these kids attend the local schools, according to our police dept.

Just be aware that I've heard Cumming has some higher crime areas (which is very contrary to what I thought). Gang culture is very appealing to a lot of kids right now and it is very, very sad. Once gangs are in your community, it's very difficult problem to overcome. I also know that teachers in my county had to take 2 hour "gang awareness" training also, where they were taught all the different gangs and signs. This problem is real.

[mrdkb]

Originally Posted by southern no more

. Unfortunately, Forsyth county still does have some ties with the KKK. !

Thanks for saying what most know

[Honeysucklebrn]

My realtor had said the same thing about Otwell Middle School. She said they had a nickname for it "Potwell". Then she researched it more and they now have a new principal that has been cleaning up the school.