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Parents raise concerns about school vendor ties and proposed state social‑studies revisions at Denton ISD meeting
Summary
Public commenters urged Denton ISD trustees to review the district’s relationship with Lifetouch over parent‑company ties and data security, and urged action on a proposed Texas social‑studies framework that commenters said narrows global history and injects political bias.
Several members of the public used the district’s open‑comment period to raise distinct concerns Tuesday night. A parent, Brayden Peterson, urged trustees to reevaluate the district’s relationship with Lifetouch Photography because of ownership ties to Apollo Global Management and ethics questions tied to individuals associated with Jeffrey Epstein; he also cited a 2021 ransomware incident involving Lifetouch systems and asked the board to prioritize student data security and vendor transparency.
Another commenter, Rebecca Bertone, encouraged trustees and the community to oppose proposed state social‑studies revisions she described as emphasizing U.S. and Texas history at the expense of world history and said the framework would require new textbooks and reshape instruction. She urged residents to submit testimony to the State Board of Education and to contact elected representatives ahead of public hearings and the Feb. 27 comment deadline.
District staff responded during the meeting to clarify that the Texas Public Information Act has statutory confidentiality provisions that require legal review for certain redactions; trustees encouraged people to use the formal comment channels referenced in the meeting.
