Petition Regarding Lifetouch and Student Data Privacy
The Issue
To the Ellsworth School Board and District Administration,
We, the undersigned parents, guardians, students, educators, and community members, respectfully petition the Ellsworth School District to discontinue its relationship with Lifetouch as the provider of student photography services.
Recent public discussions and reporting have raised concerns within our community regarding Lifetouch’s corporate affiliations with Leon Black, the Epstein Files, and the handling of sensitive student information. While not all details are fully verified or publicly clarified, the seriousness of the concerns has created a significant loss of trust among families, with many considering refusing student participation in picture days. When it comes to children’s data, even the perception of risk warrants immediate review and decisive action. While the connection between Leon Black and Lifetouch is indirect, as of February 12, 2026, Lifetouch has not provided public, third-party audited, or detailed internal access log data to prove that former Apollo Global Management CEO Leon Black, or any other third-party, has never accessed student data.
In an era where data breaches, misuse of personal information, and opaque corporate structures are increasingly common, families deserve full confidence that their children’s images and personal data are handled with the highest possible standards of safety, transparency, and accountability - with no exceptions.
Therefore, we respectfully request that the Ellsworth School District:
1. Terminate its contract with Lifetouch and seek alternative vendors whose data-privacy practices meet the highest standards and whose corporate affiliations are fully transparent and have no association AT ALL with potential abuse activity.
2. Formally require Lifetouch to delete all student photographs, personal information, and associated metadata collected from Ellsworth students, past and present, and to provide written certification of this deletion.
3. Communicate openly with families about vendor selection criteria, data-retention policies, access log transparency and the district’s ongoing commitment to protecting student privacy.
Our position is simple: When it comes to children, the district must err on the side of caution. Families deserve full confidence that their children’s images and personal information are not stored indefinitely, shared inappropriately, or connected to any entity that raises legitimate community concern.
Sincerely,
The undersigned members of the Ellsworth and surrounding communities
37
The Issue
To the Ellsworth School Board and District Administration,
We, the undersigned parents, guardians, students, educators, and community members, respectfully petition the Ellsworth School District to discontinue its relationship with Lifetouch as the provider of student photography services.
Recent public discussions and reporting have raised concerns within our community regarding Lifetouch’s corporate affiliations with Leon Black, the Epstein Files, and the handling of sensitive student information. While not all details are fully verified or publicly clarified, the seriousness of the concerns has created a significant loss of trust among families, with many considering refusing student participation in picture days. When it comes to children’s data, even the perception of risk warrants immediate review and decisive action. While the connection between Leon Black and Lifetouch is indirect, as of February 12, 2026, Lifetouch has not provided public, third-party audited, or detailed internal access log data to prove that former Apollo Global Management CEO Leon Black, or any other third-party, has never accessed student data.
In an era where data breaches, misuse of personal information, and opaque corporate structures are increasingly common, families deserve full confidence that their children’s images and personal data are handled with the highest possible standards of safety, transparency, and accountability - with no exceptions.
Therefore, we respectfully request that the Ellsworth School District:
1. Terminate its contract with Lifetouch and seek alternative vendors whose data-privacy practices meet the highest standards and whose corporate affiliations are fully transparent and have no association AT ALL with potential abuse activity.
2. Formally require Lifetouch to delete all student photographs, personal information, and associated metadata collected from Ellsworth students, past and present, and to provide written certification of this deletion.
3. Communicate openly with families about vendor selection criteria, data-retention policies, access log transparency and the district’s ongoing commitment to protecting student privacy.
Our position is simple: When it comes to children, the district must err on the side of caution. Families deserve full confidence that their children’s images and personal information are not stored indefinitely, shared inappropriately, or connected to any entity that raises legitimate community concern.
Sincerely,
The undersigned members of the Ellsworth and surrounding communities
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Petition created on February 13, 2026