Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to crack down on transfers and athlete eligibility
After two Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools football teams were forced to forfeit games due to ineligible athletes, the district is taking action.
Tuesday afternoon, CMS athletic director Ericia Turner announced a plan to help curb longstanding issues in the district regarding eligibility and transfers, and to promote adherence to CMS Board Policy around eligibility.
The plan, according to a news release, includes:
▪ Developing a district-wide coaches symposium. Topics will include athletic eligibility, legal issues, sportsmanship, positive team culture, parent communications and expectations and diversity and inclusion.
▪ A comprehensive program evaluation that will address guiding principles, curriculum, resources and equity, administration and program and player evaluation.
▪ Turner’s plan also includes district-wide training for learning community superintendents, principals, social workers, registrars and other support personnel as well as a district-wide parent’s symposium.
Earlier this spring, West Charlotte and Myers Park were forced to forfeit all of their 2021 football games after each school reported violations in student assignment to the N.C. High School Athletic Association.
In recent years, there have been a high number of students transferring from one CMS school to another or coming into a CMS school from out of town, while some coaches have told The Charlotte Observer that some of those students were recruited, which is against CMS policy.
This story was originally published May 17, 2022 at 5:40 PM.
