This week, I spent some time talking with college students about how we can make higher education more affordable.
本周,我花了一些时间和大学生谈论如何才能使高等教育更能负担得起。
And one of the things I told them was how proud I was that they were making that investment in themselves – because in today's economy, the best predictor of success is a good education.
我告诉他们其中之一的一件事是我自己感到非常自豪的是他们可以对自己投资——因为在如今的经济形势下,对于成功最好的预测是良好的教育。
That's not just true for our individual success; it's also true for America's success.
这不仅仅适用于我们的个人的成功,它也同样适用于美国的成功。
New jobs and new businesses will take root wherever they can find the most highly-educated, highly-skilled workers.
新的工作和新的企业要扎根,无论他们在哪里能够发现的大多数受过良好教育的高技能的工人。
And I want those workers to be American workers.
而我想要这些工人成为美国工人。
I want those good-paying, middle-class jobs to take root right here.
我想要那些高收入,中产阶级的工作岗位在这里生根发芽。
So it should concern everyone that right now–all across America–tens of thousands of teachers are getting laid off.
所以,现在应该关注每个人——在美国各地,成千上万的教师都在被裁员。
In Pennsylvania alone, there are 9,000 fewer educators in our schools today than just a year ago.
单在宾夕法尼亚州, 在我们学校就有9000名现今比一年前要少的教育工作者。
In Ohio, the number is close to 7,000.
在俄亥俄州,这个数字已经接近7000。
And nationwide, over the past three years, school districts have lost over 250,000 educators.
在全国,在过去的3年中,学区已经减掉了250000名教育工作者。
Think about what that means for our country.
想想那对我们的国家意味着什么。
When there are fewer teachers in our schools, class sizes start climbing up.
当在我们学校老师越来越少，而班级规模开始逐渐爬升。
Our students start falling behind.
我们的学生开始落后。
And our economy takes a hit.
我们的经济将遭受重创。
The point is: teachers matter.
关键是:教师资源。
One study found that a good teacher can increase the lifetime income of a classroom by over $250,000.
一项研究发现,一位好老师能增加课堂的终生收入超过250000美元。
A great teacher can change the course of a child's life.
一位伟大的老师可以改变一个孩子生命。
So the last thing our country needs is to have fewer teachers in our schools.
所以我们的国家最后需要的一件是我们在学校的老师再少一些。
Now, I know states are still going through some tough times.
现在,我知道各州仍将经历一段艰难时期。
I realize that every Governor is dealing with limited resources and many face stark choices when it comes to their budgets.
我意识到, 当谈及预算时，每位州长都要面临有限的资源和许多残酷的选择。
But that doesn't mean we should just stand by and do nothing.
但这并不意味着我们应该袖手旁观,什么都不做。
When states struggle, it's up to Congress to step in and help out.
当各种处境艰难,国会就要介入并提供帮助。
In 2009 and in 2010, we provided aid to states to help keep hundreds of thousands of teachers in the classroom.
在2009年和2010年,我们对各州提供援助来帮助保持在教室里的数十万名教师。
But we need to do more.
但我们需要做更多的事情。
That's why a critical part of the jobs bill that I sent to Congress back in September was to help states prevent even more layoffs and rehire even more teachers who had lost their jobs.
这就是我在九月份提交给国会就业法案一个至关重要的部分,其目的是帮助州政府防止更多的裁员和雇佣更多失去了工作的教师们。
But months later, we're still waiting on Congress to act.
但几个月后,我们仍然在等待国会采取行动。
When it comes to this recovery, we can't fully control everything that happens in other parts of the world.
当谈到这次复苏的时候,我们不能完全控制发生在世界的其他地方的所有事物。
But there are plenty of things we can control.
但有很多事情是我们可以控制的。
There are plenty of steps we can take, right now, to strengthen our economy.
现在有许多我们可以采取的步骤来加强我们的经济。
Putting teachers back in our kids' classrooms is one of those steps.
让教师回到我们孩子的教室就是其中的一个步骤。
And there's no excuse for inaction.
没有无所作为的借口。
You work hard. Your leaders should, too.
你努力工作。你的领导人也应该如此。
Especially at this make-or-break moment for the middle class.
尤其是为中产阶级这个生死存亡的时刻。
I know this is an election year.
我知道今年是选举年。
But some things are bigger than an election.
但有些事情比大选更重要。
Some things are bigger than politics.
有些事情比政治更重要。
So I hope you'll join me in telling Congress to do the right thing; to get to work and to help get our teachers back in the classroom.
所以我希望你能和我一起告诉国会做正确的事,去工作,为了帮助教师们重返教室。
We can't afford to wait any longer.
我们不能再等了。
Thanks and have a great weekend.
谢谢,周末愉快。
