TEEN TOPICS : Q: Can you talk to your parents about sex?

Health educators emphasize the importance of parents speaking candidly with their children about sex and AIDS. A team of reporters from L.A. Youth and El Original teen newspapers informally polled students in some area schools.

Marie Alfaro, 16, Bell High: They’re not embarrassed talking about it. I’m embarrassed. I don’t want them to think I’m interested in sex instead of just curious. . . . There’s a lot of information out there, so I don’t have to come to them as often.

Viana, 17, Mountain View High: We never talk. We just never bring it up. I probably would be able to talk to my mom. . . . She understands better.

Name withheld by request, 18, Huntington Park High: My parents are extremely conservative. I can’t talk to them about sex.

Angie Ochoa, 16, Mountain View High: I can’t talk to my parents about sex. To them it’s a big sin. My parents blow it out of proportion.

Aurelio, 16, Mountain View High: “Actually I never talk to them about sex. I have four older brothers and everything I needed to know I got from them.

Dani Rodriguez, 16, Mountain View High: It’s a subject that’s avoided at my house. I live with my mom and it’s difficult talking to a female.

Name withheld, 15, Franklin High: I can talk to my dad about sex. He says I should be careful and not have sex all the time. And I should always use a condom and if I need advice to come to him. I don’t talk to my mom about sex. I trust my dad and he trusts me.

Wendy Carmona, 19, Mountain View High: They’re old-fashioned. I can tell my mom certain things. Her views are so different I don’t bother talking about it with her.

Name withheld, 16, Huntington Park High: I can talk to my mom. We talk two or three times a month about sex and (she) tells me to use protection.

Lizabeth Rodriguez, 14, Stevenson Junior High: I can talk to my parents about sex. . . . My dad doesn’t want me to get pregnant at my age so he tells me not to have sex.

Guillermo Villanueva, 17, Franklin High: Yes they’re open about it because of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.

Avalos, 16, Jefferson High: Of course, we can talk because we have good communication between us. That’s the way a family should be. They should be able to make good decisions.

Name withheld, 13, Mount Gleason Junior High: My parents don’t talk to me about sex because they know we talk a lot about it in school and they think I know everything.

Erika Torres, 17, Franklin High: Yes, because they talked to me when I was younger. We believe in abstinence. I feel comfortable talking about it with them. They were open with me when I was younger so it doesn’t bother me.

Alicia Tapper, 17, North Hollywood High: Yes, I can talk about sex because I have open communication with them.

Gabriella Rodriguez, 17, North Hollywood High: No, I can’t talk to my parents about sex because they (might wonder why I am bringing up the subject).

Tran, 18, Franklin High: No because it’s a taboo. . . . When you ask a question in reference to a sexual nature they assume you’re doing it. And they don’t want you to do it at this age.

Peter Tang, 17, Franklin High: No, because we don’t talk about it. They don’t even let us watch American movies because they feel it has too much sex and it will pollute us. . . . They will talk about AIDS, the blood part and needles, but not about the sexual part of catching it.

With this issue, Nuestro Tiempo begins special youth coverage.