School Board Roundup: Board “Pauses” Lifetouch Relationship Over Alleged Epstein Connection; Hears Sex Ed Updates
East Lansing Public Schools Superintendent Dori Leyko announced the school district is pausing “all activities” with Lifetouch, a widely used photography company that works with schools across the country. Leyko made the announcement at Monday’s ELPS Board of Education meeting after allegations surfaced that a former leader of Lifetouch had ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Leyko said there were no spring activities scheduled with Lifetouch and that the district is reviewing available factual information to determine the future of its relationship with the company.
“Once a decision is made, we will communicate with stakeholders,” she said.
The 30-minute meeting also featured a hearing on a recommendation from the Sex Education Advisory Board to approve revised 2025 Michigan Model HIV and STI units for seventh and eighth grades, replacing a version more than 15 years old.
Anne Scott, the district’s sex education supervisor, explained that the Michigan Department of Education updated health education standards, consolidating content into the core health curriculum and including three lessons on HIV and STIs that the district already uses. The Sex Education Advisory Board reviewed the recommendations and advised the district to update to the curriculum’s digital format “with current statistics and guidance on prevention, treatment, and screening.”
Recommended policy changes will be voted on at a future meeting.
Leyko gave additional updates during her superintendent’s report.
The district’s annual kindergarten and pre-K information night will be held Tuesday night from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at MacDonald Middle School. Families can learn about each of the district’s six elementary school, schools of choice, food service and before- and after-school care.
District administration, including Leyko’s office, human resources and special education, has begun moving to the new central administration building at 6160 Towar Ave. The administration building was the main project paid for by a more than $20 million school bond approved by voters in 2024 to improve school safety.
Leyko also addressed summer programming, saying that grant funding the district had received over the past five years is no longer available, so the district will “prioritize programming” for areas such as high school credit recovery. Program costs and available supports will be communicated soon, she said.
The next board meeting will be Monday, March 9, at the new administration building.