A group of Vanier Catholic Secondary School parents have raised concerns that administration and the Department of Education are still not communicating well in the aftermath of the controversy surrounding the school.

Last Friday afternoon, five parents, most of whom asked not to be named to protect their children, offered some of their perceptions to the Star.

They said that as of Friday, parents still hadn't been told Vanier will have a new principal this fall to succeed Ed Frison – even though it had been announced to students the previous week and reported in the media.

Last week, Valerie Royle, the deputy minister of Education, said the entire community was updated on developments regarding a new same-sex policy for the school.

It was a process that was taking longer than expected, the department said in a letter published in the Star.

On Friday, one parent said, "That's a lame excuse.”

The group said parents should be communicated with directly, not through the media.

The parents suggested the school could use any number of media, including but not limited to emails, letters home with students, the school website, or robocalls.

The controversy surrounding Vanier exploded several months ago after a parent's letter to the Star drew attention to a contentious policy on same-sex relationships.

Stories of a bullied lesbian student added further fuel to the impassioned debate, as did push-back against starting a Gay-Straight Alliance in the school.

The parents, who said they represented the views of close to 20 others that they knew of, said the issue is broader than the same-sex policy: it's the noticeable change in atmosphere at the school since a more conservative local bishop, Gary Gordon, entered the stage.

While a new, more accepting and non-discriminatory same-sex policy is a necessary and important step, the parents want more.

As it's a taxpayer-funded school, human rights law should take precedence over religious doctrine, they argue.

Both Education Minister Scott Kent and Royle have said several times any new policy will have to comply fully with relevant legislation, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Yukon Human Rights Act.

The parents, however, are frustrated at the process taking months longer than expected.

Now they're left wondering whether the only solution is a plebiscite to determine the future of publicly funded Catholic education in the territory.

The parents fear that Vanier will continue to lose good teachers and students because of the changed atmosphere at the school.

And a smaller school population could ultimately restrict the programming that's available for their kids, the parents fear.

The opposition New Democrats have called for more leadership on the issue from the minister's office.

A Department of Education communications officer said today it's too soon to determine the enrolment numbers for the next school year, but noted there were 12 new students between September 2012 and May 2013.

She also said the department considers staff transfers a personnel matter, and would not disclose that information.

As for communication with parents, there will be a letter sent home to parents this week.

But standard practice is to announce the arrival of a new principal, not the exit of one.

The department will be working to hire a new principal this summer, she said.

See letter.