ISD to continue with Lifetouch for photos

KILGORE – Kilgore ISD shared on Friday that they will keep Lifetouch as their vendor for school photos despite allegations that one of their parent company’s executives was named in the Epstein files. Leon Black, the former CEO of Apollo Global Management, which acquired Shutterfly, the parent company of Lifetouch, was named in the recently released files on New York financier and child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

The United States Senate Committee on Finance has alleged that Black made payments totaling at least $158 million to Epstein for “purported tax and estate planning advice.” The committee also alleged that those funds were then used to finance Epstein’s child sex trafficking organization, according to our news partner KETK.

Kilgore ISD had partnered with Lifetouch to take their upcoming Spring student photos but postponed that partnership in February so they could review concerns about the company after the allegations came to light about Black and Epstein.

The district has since concluded their review and has decided to continue their relationship with Lifetouch after it found no evidence that student photos or information had been used for non-school related business, which could be in violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

“At this time, the allegations that have circulated publicly remain unsubstantiated. Lifetouch has also publicly stated that it does not share, sell or license student images to third parties, including for AI (Artificial Intelligence) or facial recognition purposes, and that student data and images are handled in accordance with applicable privacy laws,” Kilgore ISD said in a statement. “Based on the information available at this time, Kilgore ISD will move forward with previously postponed spring photography events and will continue utilizing Lifetouch as our student photography vendor.”

The district has developed an opt-out process for any families who don’t want to have their children involved in Lifetouch’s services for school photos. Families will receive an email notice from their student’s campus on how to opt out of photos through a Google Form ahead of any given photo day.

Lifetouch issued the following statement to KETK News in February:

“No Lifetouch executives have ever had any relationship or contact with Epstein and we have never shared student images with any third party, including Apollo. Apollo and its funds also have no role in Lifetouch’s daily operations and have no access to student images. In fact, Apollo funds did not acquire Shutterfly, Lifetouch’s parent company, until September 2019– two months after Epstein was put in jail and a month after Epstein’s death.”

Since these alleged connections between Black and Epstein came to light, more than a dozen East Texas school districts have postponed or cancelled their contracts with Lifetouch.