Hi Jackie,
your question about whether schools can require students to do academic requirements outside of classroom hour speaks to several important issues in education such as student health and well-being, time for socializing with friends, resting, playing, and relaxation, among other things.
I know teachers also need to protect their time for breaks for all the same reasons. Although I cannot answer your question for a specific school because school board practices and policies vary by region, I think you might find responses to your question in a few different ways. Perhaps you have already tried some of the following approaches.
I encourage you to first ask the teacher your question and share your concerns for students to have periods free from academic responsibilities. Depending on that conversation, you may decide to speak with the principal at the school, Later, or at the same time you may want to approach the school board and learn about its policies. I do not where you are located. If you are in the U.S. or Canada it is likely that most policies about teacher-student workload and contact hours are set by the local schools or school board.
In closing, I also refer you to the following two sections of the Community Tool Box that provide information that you may find helpful about documenting complaints and changing policies in schools.
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CHAPTER 31, SECTION 7. DOCUMENTING COMPLAINTS - MAIN SECTION
... situation. He asked Richard to call the same agents with a request similar to Mark's, and report what happened. Just as Mark had ... -
CHAPTER 25, SECTION 9. CHANGING POLICIES IN SCHOOLS - MAIN SECTION
... them is obvious. Don’t organize the community for a minor request – the simpler you can make things, the better. In general, ... going around the School Committee entirely, a simple request, taking time to build support on the Committee, threatening a lawsuit, ...
Best wishes with your pursuit,
Colleen