A Panther Valley High School junior is leading a campaign against the district's uniform policy.

And he has the support of more than 1,000 community members, who signed a petition supporting the cause.Samuel Arroyo Jr. presented his petition to the district's school board Thursday night. He says the uniforms don't have any positive effect on education, tend to be of low quality, and cost parents more than street clothes would.He has been working since school began to get signatures from students and community members. He had to start over again at one point after the petitions were taken away because school officials said they were becoming a distraction in school."I have so many message from other students about how the uniforms affect them," he said.In his speech to the board, Arroyo said that he feels that the school uniform policy has not improved grades or reduced bullying at the school. He cited data from a researcher at Brock University in Canada who found that there was no evidence that uniforms improve these issues."I believe it was the school board's belief that uniforms would be a magic wand and improve these issues," he said. "In actuality, it has only brought down morale."Personally, he said that he served in-school suspension for wearing an undershirt that was not an approved color.The school's uniform policy requires students to wear solid-colored polo shirts or sweaters in school colors, and khaki, gray or black pants, capris or skirts.Arroyo actually had to collect about 1,750 signatures because his first petition was taken away by administrators. Arroyo said principal Robert Gunnels told him that he was not allowed to protest the policy.But Gunnels, contacted Friday, said that the reason the petitions were taken had nothing to do with the content. Rather, he said that the petitions were taken because some students were interrupting classes in order to solicit signatures."Students can circulate petitions as long as they're not going to disturb the regular flow of classes," Gunnels said. "To Sam's credit, he wasn't really involved with that."Gunnels said that while he personally believes the uniforms do have a positive effect, he ultimately has no control over the policy, which is set by the school board.