Category: S

A philosophy that is seen as focusing on the good of humanity over religious belief; used as a pejorative term by many fundamentalist Christians, who see public schools as teaching secular humanism. As a result, many have founded or placed their children in private schools with a strongly Christian orientation.  

A kind of tumor started by malignant cells originating elsewhere in the body, as opposed to a primary tumor that originated at the site where found.  

Documents kept confidential by the court, not available for open inspection. In cases of traditional adoption, records are generally open only to the court and the adoption agency, though some laws and other forms of adoption have allowed the records to be somewhat more accessible, such as to the adopted child (on reaching adulthood). Records…

Alternate term for student records, as covered under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1976. The cumulative file on a student’s progress through a school, including basic identifying information, comments about student and family, some kinds of physical and health information, comments about behavior, notes about discipline or counseling given, attendance data, scores…

In medicine, one of various techniques to give a picture of the body’s internal organs. Some kinds of scans, such as a CT scan, ultrasound, and MRI, are not invasive, requiring no injections or other intrusions to prepare the body for the test. Many other scans are invasive, requiring the injection of foreign materials into…

Rare disorder in which a person has mental retardation or mental disorders (in centuries past lumped together as “idiocy”) but has extraordinary ability in certain distinct areas, usually relating to memory feats or artistic ability. The combination gave the condition its earlier name idiot savant, French for “learned idiot.”  

In a graduating class, the student with the second-highest academic rank, generally as measured by grade average, so called because he or she is often asked to give the opening speech, or salutation, at graduation ceremonies. The highest-ranked student is the valedictorian.  

Stimulant abuse can include a broad category of substances from amphetamines to caffeine that are taken to increase mental activity, offset drowsiness and fatigue, improve athletic performance, curb appetite, and reduce symptoms of depression. Amphetamines and their derivatives are chemically produced central nervous system (CNS) stimulants that are also commonly used for the treatment of…

Stickler syndrome is a connective tissue disorder that affects vision, hearing, joints, craniofacies, and the heart. This progressive condition is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait and is estimated to affect 1 in 10,000 people, although it is one of the rarest to be diagnosed.  

Anabolic-androgenic steroids, better known as simply anabolic steroids, are artificial or synthetic drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone, the male sex hormone. Anabolic steroids are used medicinally to help rebuild tissues that have become weak because of serious injury, illness, or continuing infections. They are also used to treat some types of anemia, to…