However, if tests are critiqued because they do not truly measure what a student has learned, then using test results to revise the curriculum is a wasted exercise and will not achieve the goal of improving student achievement. The negative might argue that there are disadvantage implications of supporting the affirmative in light of the critique. Some might argue that testing does not measure knowledge but instead indicates how good students are at taking tests. Consequently, increasing tests or making tests more rigorous will only serve to perpetuate racism and sexism in education. The negative might argue that The judge should reject any policy that results in greater racism and sexism.
Critiques are valuable arguments for several reasons.
Critiques are highly generic, that is, they can be applied to a large variety of cases. The resolution always makes critical assumptions, such as who should act, how the policy should be implemented, why a particular area is important, etc. The critique provides a general argument that can be used to attack those critical assumptions. Critiques have multiple consequences, that is, they can minimize the affirmative advantage while also providing an argument to weigh against whatever advantage the affirmative can claim. Critiques integrate many arguments into one position.