As parents, guardians, and community members, we are requesting that Kanawha County Schools reconsider and discontinue its use of Lifetouch as its contracted school photography provider.

Many families are becoming increasingly concerned about the corporate affiliations and leadership connections tied to Lifetouch’s parent companies. Public reporting has noted that businessman Leon Black, who has held leadership roles in companies connected to Lifetouch’s ownership structure, has faced scrutiny regarding past professional and financial associations with Jeffrey Epstein. While there may be varying interpretations of these reports, many parents feel uncomfortable allowing a company connected through corporate ownership structures to maintain access to student photography and personal information.

School photography is not simply about taking pictures. These services involve collecting, storing, and distributing images and identifying information of minors. Parents should have full confidence that companies granted access to children in educational environments align with community trust and values.

Additionally, families often have limited alternatives when schools contract with a single photography provider. This means parents may feel pressured to participate even if they have concerns about the vendor being used.

We believe Kanawha County Schools should prioritize transparency, parental choice, and community trust by reviewing current vendor relationships and considering alternative photography providers that better reflect the comfort level of families within our district.

We respectfully request that Kanawha County Schools:

Conduct a full review of Lifetouch as an approved vendor.
Provide transparency regarding data storage, privacy protections, and vendor ownership structures.
Consider selecting an alternative school photography provider.
Provide parents with opt-in vendor choices whenever possible.
Our children’s privacy, safety, and community trust should always be the highest priority.

By signing this petition, we ask the Kanawha County Board of Education to listen to parental concerns and re-evaluate its partnership with Lifetouch.