Why does this 6th grader have math homework? Finns have less time in school every day and they still do better than Americans.
Finland has only 5 millions population and a relatively high median income, the teacher:students ratio is much higher and the percentage of intact families are higher. Therefore, if we want to compare, we have to select better districts in the US, where the teacher:students ratio is similar high then see what the PISA scores will say. Only then, and looking deeper into the curriculum and teaching method, we can say whether homework is beneficent or not.
You shift blame to the social issues, but that doesn't make any of that better. I mean, if the US has social problems that pull down the PISA scores, wouldn't the low score be justified then?