In answering this question, you are going to want to consider the following:
1. What is the purpose of the homework?
Is the homework meant to reinforce knowledge learned already? Is it meant to prepare you for the next class?
2. How is the homework design to fulfill the purpose?
If it is meant to reinforce knowledge, to what end is that reinforcement useful? If it is meant to prepare you for the next class, is the knowledge acquired at home applied in the class setting?
3. Does the homework successfully meet the goal to which it was designed?
If it doesn't do what it is supposed to do, then it should not be given out. For instance, if you are being given homework that reinforces knowledge that is acquired in the classroom and it is never tested, then, while it may be interesting, it is outside the bounds of what should be included in course materials. Education is not trivia night.
If it is to prepare you for the class ahead, like a "flipped classroom" but the instructor doesn't work the knowledge in or the knowledge is not foundation for the material covered in class, then again the homework should not be given as it is inappropriately tailored for the course.
Deciding whether homework should be given is a fact specific inquiry based on the goals of a particular course and the design of the curriculum.
