Cheltenham is considering switching school photo companies after claims related to Epstein
Some school districts nationally have canceled plans for photos by Lifetouch after posts connecting the company to Leon Black, former CEO of Apollo Global Management, who met regularly with Epstein.
The Cheltenham School District said Friday it’s considering a change in school picture companies following social media posts linking its current provider to a billionaire associated with Jeffrey Epstein.
In light of news reports about Lifetouch, “the district is exploring all options for future student portrait services,” Superintendent Brian Scriven said in a message to the community Friday.
A number of school districts nationally have canceled plans for photos by Lifetouch after posts connecting the company to Leon Black, former CEO of Apollo Global Management, who met regularly with Epstein, the Associated Press reported.
Under Black’s leadership, funds managed by Apollo bought Lifetouch’s parent company, Shutterfly, in 2019.
Posts outlining that link have spread across social media, some telling parents they should worry about where their children’s images are being stored.
Lifetouch has said it has no connection to Epstein, and cited news reports that the company’s name hasn’t appeared in the Epstein files.
“Claims of any relationship between Epstein and Lifetouch are completely false,” the company said in an FAQ on its website. It noted that Epstein died before Apollo acquired Shutterfly in September 2019, and said it has “never shared student images with any third party, including Apollo Global Management.”
Cheltenham hadn’t received complaints from parents, but issued Friday’s message “proactively,” said spokesperson Kevin Kaufman.
In the message, Scriven said Lifetouch would still take K-8 pictures this spring, but told parents they could opt out of photos by talking with their principal. He also pointed families to instructions on how to request that Lifetouch delete images of their children.
“We understand that media reports such as these about business associations involving prominent individuals can raise questions for families and staff,” Scriven said.
He noted Lifetouch’s stated commitment to student privacy, and said “at this time, there is no indication of any impact on student safety, district operations, or the services provided in our schools. Nevertheless, we are conducting appropriate due diligence consistent with policies.”