CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The advisory committee looking into athletic eligibility for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students flirted with a harsher rule than the one put in place by the state, but then backed off.

Thursday afternoon, committee members thought about banning students who switch schools from playing sports for one year no matter why they switched.

But the committee felt that rule, and even more mild versions of it, would just end up hurting honest families.

One member, Felicia Hall Allen, said, "We're trying to level the playing field for everyone, and every time it didn't feel right for everyone. We decided to revisit our thoughts."

Still, the committee spent four months coming up with 11 other recommendations. Now Superintendent Peter Gorman will decide whether to implement them.

He said he likes most, if not all of them, and plans to adopt new rules by football season.

As for the "sit-out" rule -- that students who transfer schools without moving residences must sit out of sports for one year -- Gorman said he feels schools can do a better job enforcing the current policy.

CMS developed the advisory committee after it discovered a number of student-athletes were lying about where they lived in order to play for popular sports teams at other schools. Athletes at several schools, including Independence, West Charlotte and South Mecklenburg high schools, were declared ineligible and teams were forced to forfeit games.