Lifetouch and Epstein Controversy

More of the Same

It has been just over two weeks since Dr. Matthews sent out a (very) brief statement on the allegations/rumors that Lifetouch is tied up with the Epstein files and our kids’ photos are, or were, at risk of being used in hideous ways.

Not satisfied with this, some parents and community members suggested plausible alternatives rather than merely expressing outrage or concern. Dr. Matthews just as callously and casually rejected these as well. Throughout this, the public received nothing more than the aforementioned “This is Fine” response.

When I heard about the parents’ and community members’ concerns, I did as I was invited to: I sent him an email detailing my thoughts and offering my suggestions on ways to handle this and avoid the criticism sure to follow.

Email to Dr. Matthews

Here is my email sent the afternoon of Sunday, March 8, 2026:

Dear Dr. Matthews,

Given my IT and Intelligence Community background, I have had quite a few folks ask me for my take on the Lifetouch/Epstein files issue. Personally, I assess the likelihood of misuse of our children’s images or personal information in this specific context as quite low. That said, the issue clearly was important enough that you chose to address it to parents in a school email.

What concerns me more … and what I’ve heard echoed by others … is the perception that plausible alternatives to Lifetouch (whether from local professionals or innovative, organic, practical/educational initiatives) have been summarily dismissed in conversations with concerned parents or residents.

Now, I know there are likely dozens of administrative, legal, regulatory, technical, contractual, and/or other obstacles that concerned parents or community members may not be considering when offering these alternatives. However, the absence of clear, public explanation of those factors, beyond simply sharing the Lifetouch CEO’s statement, has reinforced existing perceptions of opacity in district decision-making.

Even setting aside any conspiratorial lens, my years in IT have left me deeply skeptical of tech CEOs’ assurances on consumer privacy without verifiable “receipts.” I’ve been burned too many times to take such statements at face value, and I know many parents feel the same.

I am running on a platform of rebuilding trust between the community and the district. Trust lost is not easily regained. I hope the board and district is humble enough and open enough to listen to this kind of feedback… and that we in return are just as open to having a respectful dialogue on topics like this. A brief public update outlining key constraints, what due diligence efforts have already been done, and willingness to explore vetted alternatives for future years could go far toward addressing legitimate privacy concerns while demonstrating commitment to listening to the community’s concerns. Thanks for your time and your continued efforts to lead the district and educate our kids!

I have not received any reply to this. I consider this email and approach pretty much above any type of controversy and fair counsel to a district that is suffering from a trust deficit.

For background on this story, Lifetouch and its parent company Shutterfly was acquired by Apollo Global Management (a private equity firm) in 2019. Apollo’s co-founder and former CEO Leon Black was heavily tied to Jeffrey Epstein. Judging by the lack of response and amplified by the district’s lessons they chose to ignore from the bond survey, it seems the district and the board are content with continuing course and ignoring the public.

Judging by the lack of response and amplified by the district’s lessons they willfully choose to ignore from the bond survey, it seems the district and the board remain content with continuing course and dismissing public concern.