Table state pension reform bill Young gave this testimony to the Vermont House government operations committee. My name is Tommy Young and I am a 24-year teacher with 22 of those years being here in Vermont. I'm a first- and second-grade teacher at Waitsfield Elementary School. Below is my testimony to the House Committee that is proposing a devastating change to a promise we were given as teachers. I ask that you take time to educate your friends, relatives and co-workers and contact your representatives and senators. A promise is a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen. I have been teaching for 24 years now and love my job. I earn a fair salary and have never complained about my compensation. Mostly because I truly enjoy what I do but also because I accepted the terms and chose to do the job. When I accepted my role, I promised to do my part and have never wavered. I have been acknowledged for my work on both a state and national level and feel I have the genuine respect of my peers because of my approach. When I make a promise and a commitment, I was always taught to do the best that I could do. To never make excuses and find a way to be successful. Last year, as the pandemic halted our typical school work, provided a challenge to this approach. However, instead of blaming technology or accepting a less enriching curriculum for my students, I continued to go to school every day (luckily, I had an exterior door to my room) and taught from my class. I met the required meetings times but also went beyond. I held 1:1 meetings for kids who needed more. I would meet parents outside to collect work and send new work to avoid having my first- and second-graders and their parents having to do everything electronically. At the end of the day I would spend an hour or so driving around town, using my own car and gas, bringing new work and collecting finished work at the homes of families who were afraid to come out. Again, things were left at a mailbox post to avoid contact. I did this not to be celebrated, not to be lauded on social media, but because I made a promise, a commitment.