District Statement on Lifetouch

Dear GCS families,

We are aware of questions raised by some parents regarding Lifetouch, one of several school photography providers used within the district. Protecting our students’ safety and privacy is of utmost concern, and we take those concerns seriously.

The questions we have received appear to stem from recent public discussions about Lifetouch’s corporate ownership and broader data-privacy topics. At this time, the district has not identified any evidence of a data breach, misuse of student information or unauthorized access to student information related to Lifetouch’s services in our schools.

Lifetouch has provided the following assurances to school districts, including ours:

· Student images are shared only for the purposes of school records and to allow parents or guardians to purchase them.

· Lifetouch is owned by private equity firm Apollo Global Management; however, no past or present member of Apollo’s Board of Directors or Apollo’s investors have ever had access to student images, for any purpose.

· Student images are not shared, sold, or licensed to third parties for AI or facial recognition technology.

· The company states it complies with all applicable student data-privacy laws, including FERPA

 

Their commitments to student safety are publicly available here: · https://lifetouch.com/privacy/ · https://schools.lifetouch.com/blog/ensuring-privacy-for-every-student/ · https://schools.lifetouch.com/safety-security/

 

Their public statement on the matter is available here: https://schools.lifetouch.com/blog/a-message-from-ceo-ken-murphy-on-student-privacy/

 

Out of an abundance of caution, the district is reviewing this matter, including contractual and data-privacy protections, in consultation with legal counsel. We will continue to keep schools and families informed should any changes be necessary.

 

Protecting student privacy and safety remains a top priority for Guilford County Schools. If you have questions, please contact your school principal.

 

In partnership,

 

Anitra D. Wells, Ed.D.

Deputy Superintendent, Instructional Leadership and Wellness