Tucson Nonprofit Promotes Kindness Curriculum Amid Statewide Debate

Ben's Bells brings social-emotional learning to local schools, sparking controversy over curriculum priorities.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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A Tucson-based nonprofit called Ben's Bells is providing free resources and art activities to promote social-emotional learning in local elementary schools, but the effort has sparked a debate over curriculum priorities, with some arguing it takes time away from core academic subjects.

Why it matters

The debate over Ben's Bells' kindness curriculum reflects a broader discussion happening across Arizona and the country about the role of social-emotional learning in schools. Proponents argue it improves academic performance and behavior, while critics worry it detracts from teaching traditional subjects.

The details

Ben's Bells, founded by Jeanette Maré, has provided its kindness curriculum and resources to nearly every elementary school in the Tucson Unified School District. The program aims to teach students about character traits and communication skills. However, Arizona State Superintendent Tom Horne has criticized social-emotional learning, saying it "robs classrooms of that time" that should be spent on core academic subjects like math, reading, and history.

  • Ben's Bells has been providing its kindness curriculum to Tucson schools for several years.
  • The debate over social-emotional learning has been ongoing across Arizona and the country.

The players

Ben's Bells

A Tucson-based nonprofit that provides free resources and art activities to promote social-emotional learning in local elementary schools.

Jeanette Maré

The founder of Ben's Bells, who argues that social-emotional learning is a "foundational human thing about how we communicate well."

Tom Horne

The Arizona State Superintendent, who has criticized social-emotional learning, arguing it takes time away from teaching core academic subjects.

Liz Levine

A parent and the education manager at Ben's Bells, who says she's glad her son's school provides social-emotional learning.

MJ Gedebou

A student who says social-emotional learning created a positive school environment for him at Salpointe Catholic.

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What they’re saying

“This is not a soft and fluffy thing. This is really a foundational human thing about how we communicate well.”

— Jeanette Maré, Founder, Ben's Bells (kold.com)

“My heroes are teachers who love teaching math, reading, history, and so on. I get complaints that they want to teach their subjects bell to bell but under social emotional learning, they have to play what are described as 'dumb games' during class. Every instructional minute is precious, and social-emotional learning robs classrooms of that time.”

— Tom Horne, Arizona State Superintendent (kold.com)

“There's a community in the classroom – different ages, different learning abilities – and they talk about character traits.”

— Liz Levine, Parent and Ben's Bells Education Manager (kold.com)

“I was always ready to get up and go. Time to go to school now. And I would stay all day because I had to wait for sports. It was almost like a second home.”

— MJ Gedebou (kold.com)

What’s next

The debate over social-emotional learning in Arizona schools is likely to continue, with both supporters and critics advocating for their positions. The outcome could impact the curriculum and resources available to students across the state.

The takeaway

The controversy surrounding Ben's Bells' kindness curriculum highlights the broader tensions in education over the balance between social-emotional learning and traditional academic subjects. As schools navigate these competing priorities, the focus remains on providing the best possible learning environment for students.