I've been 'protesting' homework since DS started school....to myself anyway. It was always pitifully redundant and I didn't see that he learned anything from it, other than it took away from his playtime.
The only thing I don't mind so much now is the handwriting aspect of it. Only because DSs writing could use some practice and I can see where it's not feasible to have him really practice for say 30 min to an hour in the classroom - there are other things he could be learning. I consider the 'write your spelling words 3 times in cursive' task a handwriting assignment and not spelling since DS doesn't/didn't learn to spell that way.
