Is Sumter a good place to raise kids?

[northern redneck]

I am no stranger to Sumter. My father in law has owned a home there for 18+ yrs and my husband lived many yrs of his life there. We have friends there and visit often. I have been reading these forums lately and I am seeing alot about murders and to be honest it has left me feeling uneasy. We are from a small town up north, only 8,809 people compared to your 38,000. But our plan is to move there in 1 1/2 yrs with our three young children and i was hoping to get some input from locals. I know that shaw brings alot of people from all over but over all do You think I have to worry about my children being picked on because they do not have the southern accent. And are there any public schools that are good or should i plan on sending them to private schools. Is there really alot of gang activities in the schools? And is there a job shortage? I run an office up north so I am not talking about working at a store or resteraunt on Broad St. Any comments or advice would be appreciated. Thanks

[Yankee]

No one wants to talk to me??? Is it because I am a Yankee

[Not from Sumter]

My husband is in the military, so we're not living here by choice. If we don't have orderers to move by the time my daughter is ready for school, I fully intend to home school her. I do not think that Sumter is a good place to raise kids.

[northern redneck]

Really?? That is a very scary answer. Where are you from originally? My husband and his sister went to school there for a few years but they went to the local catholic school and thought is was a good school. Now I am worried. Where we live now is a small town with good schools but there is nothing here including jobs. Thanks for your input. Is your husband at shaw? I thought it was its own little city with schools and everything that you need there?

[Happy Here]

Sumter is like every other town in America. It has some very good aspects and some very poor. I have been very happy raising my children here. We moved here many years ago before they entered school. We have found the public schools that they have attended to be very good. My oldest received academic scholarships when he went to college and had no problem getting into any school he wanted to attend and my youngest is on the same tract. In my opinion, every school's educational success, public or private, depends on your level of involvement in your child's education. If you don't want to get involved, don't expect much from anywhere.

[northern redneck]

Happy Here wrote:

Sumter is like every other town in America. It has some very good aspects and some very poor. I have been very happy raising my children here. We moved here many years ago before they entered school. We have found the public schools that they have attended to be very good. My oldest received academic scholarships when he went to college and had no problem getting into any school he wanted to attend and my youngest is on the same tract. In my opinion, every school's educational success, public or private, depends on your level of involvement in your child's education. If you don't want to get involved, don't expect much from anywhere.

Thank you, that does make me feel better as I said I have been there many times and I Love it there, especailly because it is so close to Mrytle Beach. Could you tell me what school your children attended.

[Jimmy Thefish]

Sumter's a good place to live if you don't take your kids trick or treating.

[Retired Military]

After having served the Military at Shaw for 15 years, my kids attending public school, and being retired in the area an additional 13 years...I can assure you that there are much better places in the WORLD, much less the state Of south Carolina that I would consider giving you direction to.... Not one of my kids achieved graduation Diplomas from the local schools. They all fell in with the wrong crowd and the local Judicial system and the Department of Social Services here helped erode my familys values by usurping the authority and discipline of this military soldier who had to prevent his childrens actions from affecting his own career. By reflection, I moved from here to Southern Pennsylvania two years ago for a good job offer that was a load of bunk after I got there. I was totally amazed that my granddaughter,(I am legal guardian) was recieved at that school with open arms, did not have to take anything with her to school but herself, books, paper, pencils, etc. they were all provided....not so here. Kids are left to fend for themselves as far a up to date books, handouts are unreadable or harde to diserne...many things exist that you don't have a care about in the North. This State has had in effect now a Educational Lottery for a few years, one that every person with a gambling affliction participates in, but it has had no major effect in funding changes to what goes on in the public school system. Recently the schools have chosen to disregard the National testing proceedures, as teaching the test to the sudents to pass has had little to no long term results.
20/20 hindsite, I should have done two years here and taken an overseas accompanied tour to a remote undersirable place on the globe. I now reside in the armpit of America, where they shoot kids on trick-or-treat night......My house is currently for sale.....interested?

[Northern Yooper]

northern redneck wrote:

I am no stranger to Sumter. My father in law has owned a home there for 18+ yrs and my husband lived many yrs of his life there. We have friends there and visit often. I have been reading these forums lately and I am seeing alot about murders and to be honest it has left me feeling uneasy. We are from a small town up north, only 8,809 people compared to your 38,000. But our plan is to move there in 1 1/2 yrs with our three young children and i was hoping to get some input from locals. I know that shaw brings alot of people from all over but over all do You think I have to worry about my children being picked on because they do not have the southern accent. And are there any public schools that are good or should i plan on sending them to private schools. Is there really alot of gang activities in the schools? And is there a job shortage? I run an office up north so I am not talking about working at a store or resteraunt on Broad St. Any comments or advice would be appreciated. Thanks

My husband accepted a job here in Sumter about 3 years ago, and I have a 11 year old daughter and a 8 year old son, and I hate this place,the schools SUCK, they are the worst EVER, I can not stand all the rediculious "GANG" related BS. And to answer your question, OH YEAH, there is a ton of gang related issues here. Thats most of you see and hear in and on the news, "They" don't have anything better to do with their lives. Cause none of "them" want to work, "they" choose to sell their damn drugs and kill eachother and innocent people. I have lived in many different places and this is by far the worst of all. My husbands contract is up at this years end, and we are moving in January. I can't wait. If you have a choice not to move to this hell whole, DONT MOVE TO SUMTER!!!! I never locked my doors when I lived up north, I never felt unsafe in my home, I never had to home school my kids until we moved here.
From a Northern'er to a Northern'er, "Honey, you really do not want to raise your babies here, And I suppose if you were born and raised here, these "activities" would seem to be normal. But you sound like you were raised up in the North like I was, And this place will devistate you. Good Luck!!!

[northern redneck]

Now I am even more scared to move than ever. My husband has his heart set on moving and that is the plan. My oldest daughter wants to go to usc and I have a baby and an 8 yr old who i really worry will be affected the most. I just don't know. Does any one have anything good to say?? I don't want to make the biggest mistake of my life.

[Karen]

northern redneck wrote:

I am no stranger to Sumter. My father in law has owned a home there for 18+ yrs and my husband lived many yrs of his life there. We have friends there and visit often. I have been reading these forums lately and I am seeing alot about murders and to be honest it has left me feeling uneasy. We are from a small town up north, only 8,809 people compared to your 38,000. But our plan is to move there in 1 1/2 yrs with our three young children and i was hoping to get some input from locals. I know that shaw brings alot of people from all over but over all do You think I have to worry about my children being picked on because they do not have the southern accent. And are there any public schools that are good or should i plan on sending them to private schools. Is there really alot of gang activities in the schools? And is there a job shortage? I run an office up north so I am not talking about working at a store or resteraunt on Broad St. Any comments or advice would be appreciated. Thanks

Dear Northern Redneck...not everyone down here have accents, there are really lots of northern people here. I moved here from Indianapolis five years ago and I was shocked at the amount of gang and drug activity in such a small town. The schools in the are I really can't comment on because I do not have school age children. I do know from talking with others and living here for 5 yrs, the private schools are the only way to go (and they are VERY expensive). the job situation is very hard to come by. They are also very low paying compared to up north. I took a $15 an hour pay cut. The town is a lovely little town so you just have to take the good with the bad I guess. Good Luck....

[John]

Sumter really isn't that bad. I was raised here but have lived in other areas of the country while in the military. There is a gang problem here, but this is also a growing city, not a small town anymore. The schools aren't as bad as some people make them out to be and a lot of the people here are very friendly. Just like with other areas of the country you have the good and the bad. There are neighborhoods here I wouldn't walk through in the daylight, but there are really nice places to. The worst thing about this area, IMO, is the county council, not the people in general.

[New to the state]

Me and my family moved here from Miami enough said thinking that Sumter would be alittle better to raise our kids and to start over. Man were we kinda disappointed. Although the crime rate in Miami is alot higher we didn't expect for such a small town to have some of the same issues. We've only been here two years and within those two years we heard about more robbings , and killings and gang wars then we really needed to and to top it off one of my favorite cousins was just murdered last night . I am very sad and think that it is not just sumter but the world is going crazy everywhere.

[northern redneck]

New to the state wrote:

Me and my family moved here from Miami enough said thinking that Sumter would be alittle better to raise our kids and to start over. Man were we kinda disappointed. Although the crime rate in Miami is alot higher we didn't expect for such a small town to have some of the same issues. We've only been here two years and within those two years we heard about more robbings , and killings and gang wars then we really needed to and to top it off one of my favorite cousins was just murdered last night . I am very sad and think that it is not just sumter but the world is going crazy everywhere.

Very sorry to hear about your cousin, you are right the whole world has gone crazy. I have always heard that miami is one of the worse places to live even to visit so now you are comparing sumter to miami and that really does not make me feel better but thanks for your input.

[Sue Ladson]

Sumter is a wonderful place!!! We moved here 5 years ago with the military. My Husband retired and we stayed. I am from California and love the small town southern charm and kindness. We have two children and they have thrived in both the public and now private schools they have attended. My advice is get involved early in your children's school and Church. The cost of living is cheap and people are the nicest of any place I have lived.

[mary]

You need to be the judge. I am also a transplant via US air Force. I have lived here for over 20 years, raising my children, and we are all still alive and well. I have wonderful friends and a great job. There is crime in certain areas and certain inner city schools are probably not the best. If I am not mistaken...I think you will find that in EVERY CITY in America. I chose to educate my children through private school here in Sumter and sadly found I had wasted alot of money on their education and paid dearly for their environment. Your childs education depends on the student+parent+teacher+school. How involved are you with your childrens education?? Sumter is probably not winning a prize for being the best place on the east coast to live but I can think of worse. Gang activity is everywhere in the US today. It is not as bad as all of you make it sound. If I read this forum I would never think of moving my family here.

[Military Retiree]

Latest information posted elsewhere on this blog, ie ( Has anyone Heard ), upgrades the anty on gang initiations.....Looking for women to be shot in the month of November.....check it out.....
I have lived here for 30 yers....longer than some of these people have been alive.....

[to tonya]

NOOOOOOOOOOO. Let me rephrase that...Hell no! Don't come to Sumter, SC. Employment, crime, education is all downhill here. I've lived here for 17 years, raising a child. Schools are horrible, people are still back in the 1800's. I regret the day I ever came here. I'm hoping to win the lottery and get the hell out of here. When I do win the lottery, I will make a public commericial that says. Don't come to Sumter, SC and give all the reasons.

[Sharolyn Lane]

Can anyone give me some information about Sharolyn Lane which is the street beside Sharolyn Motel? I really need to know befoe I move their with my toddler?

[northern redneck]

You people are really freaking me out about moving to Sumter. I guess I am going to have to go visit for awhile to see how much it has changed. It has been a couple yrs since i was last there. But I do have to say that I realize this is a city and every city has the same problems but we plan on moving to the country, which I realize they are so close you will still have to worry about the "undesirables". and to Sharolyn Lane I would check to make sure that that street is not in the same neighbor hood where all the shootings have occured in the past few months. You can check the item for st. addresses then check it on map quest.