We, the undersigned parents and guardians of students in Northside Independent School District (NISD), are calling on the district to immediately discontinue the use of Lifetouch for school photography services and move to a local or independent photography provider.

This issue directly affects families across the district, including my own. My children attend NISD schools, and I have reached out to both campus administration and the district regarding these concerns. Despite multiple parents writing in, the responses so far have focused primarily on defending the existing contract and offering opt-out options rather than meaningfully addressing parent trust and community concerns.

Lifetouch is owned by Shutterfly, and Shutterfly is owned by funds managed by Apollo Global Management. Apollo’s former leadership has had widely reported ties to Jeffrey Epstein. While this does not mean Lifetouch itself has committed wrongdoing, this corporate ownership chain is deeply concerning when the product involved is children’s images and student data.

This issue is no longer theoretical. Many parents have stated they do not plan to send their children to school on picture day because of this situation. The district’s current approach places the burden on families and campuses instead of addressing the root problem: the continued use of a vendor that has lost the trust of a significant portion of the community.

School pictures are not an essential educational service. When a vendor becomes this controversial in the context of student privacy and trust, the responsible and student-first decision is to cancel the contract and select a different provider; preferably a local company that is directly accountable to the community it serves.

We respectfully call on NISD to:

• Cancel upcoming Lifetouch picture days, and
• Transition to a local or alternative photography provider that aligns with community values, transparency, and trust.

Our children’s privacy, safety, and our trust in the district’s decisions must come first.

Signed,

Concerned Parents and Guardians of NISD Students