Lobster In Toilet: NJ Educator Turns Prank Into ‘Teachable Moment’

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A live lobster in the toilet might get some laughs. But it’s actually a mean joke – not a funny one, according to a high school science teacher from New Jersey.

Shortly before the winter break at Columbia High School in Maplewood, a misguided prankster snuck a lobster into a school bathroom, leaving it in a toilet as a joke. For a saltwater creature with gills, it was a move that proved to be fatal.

When principal Frank Sanchez and the high school’s custodians brought the lobster to the classroom of Amy Biasucci, she immediately leap into action in an attempt to save its life, putting it into a tank of water that was salted to a concentration more hospitable for the crustacean.

Despite her efforts, the lobster died as the custodians and her students looked on, district administrators said.

Biasucci, who teaches advanced placement biology and environmental science, said the prank was “mean, not funny.” But she also says it is a teachable moment that shows the need to be kind to all animals – food source or not.

The deceased lobster, which was about the size of those commonly sold at supermarkets, is currently in Biasucci’s freezer at home. She plans to use it for a mid-term dissection project in January.

The lesson? Reviewing the cellular processes of osmoregulation and how organisms maintain homeostasis, or the balance of water and salt in their bodies.

“If we have more respect for living beings in general, we might actually save ourselves,” Biasucci said.

And if the prankster who put the lobster into the toilet is listening, they shouldn’t let their mistake define their future, she added.

“Kids make mistakes,” she said. “It’s our job to make sure everybody learns from their mistakes.”

Sanchez and Acting Superintendent Kevin Gilbert commended Biasucci for her response to the situation.

“Ms. Biasucci has reminded us that there is no such thing as a victimless prank, even when the victim isn’t a person,” Sanchez said. “I greatly appreciate Ms. Biasucci’s resourcefulness in using this incident as a teachable moment for her students, as well as the Columbia High School community.”

Gilbert thanked Biasucci for imparting some valuable lessons about respecting life.

“It is my hope that anyone who thinks about engaging in an act like this will remember these lessons and decide to do something to make our community better,” Gilbert said.

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