Merger of Westlake, Harvard Schools Delayed

A proposed merger of two prestigious private schools has been delayed a month amid an intense campaign by parents seeking to prevent Westlake School for girls in Holmby Hills from joining with Harvard School for boys.

The 30-day delay of the final vote, announced on the eve of a recent Westlake board of trustees meeting, is the first indication that the merger, promoted as a “done deal,” might come undone.

Conceding an uphill battle, Westlake parents have mounted a multipronged attack on the merger, in part because of a belief, backed by research, that single sex education is preferable for girls. They object to the haste of the merger decision and the premise on which it is based: that the Holmby Hills girls school could not attract top-notch students if Harvard went co-ed on its own.

Meanwhile, a parent fund-raising campaign is under way to demonstrate to the board that Westlake can remain economically viable if students do flock to a Harvard that goes co-ed on its own.

Harvard Headmaster Thomas C. Hudnut predicted that, despite the flurry of opposition, the merger will go forward next month as its “overriding benefits” become clear to decision makers at Westlake.