Working from home

While there have been a number of debates around recently about education, no aspect is more interesting than whether or not kids should be doing homework.
We have already had at least one bout of tears and the "I don't feel well enough to go to school" routine once this year (3rd week of school).
The naked facts are that our school age daughter is at school by 8 a.m. on 3 or 4 mornings a week. She doesn't get off the bus until 4.15. She plays the piano, and the cello....wants to do softball and netball .... and needs time just to chill.
Why is it reasonable to assume that with 8 hours spent at school something will be achieved by having 1-2 hours more. I fail to be convinced.
At some point I just want her to play, to ring her friends and feel that she has some areas of her life that her under her control.
Others argue that it is a lesson in what the real world is like. It may indeed be like that for some folk. But most ordinary people I know don't come home from work to be told they have to do two hours more...some do, but is that desirable. I don't think so.
Too many families suffer because too many people go to work and then crowd their together time out.

And after all, does a 13 year old need two hours a night extra work.
I am not convinced that this does anything more than encourage children to detest self-driven education.