ROSEMOUNT, Minn. -- The gag at Thursday's pep assembly at Rosemount High School was supposed to be a joke. But when it went viral on YouTube some people didn't find it the least bit funny.

"As principal I am responsible for everything that happens in the school so, ultimately, I am the person that needs to answer for this," school principal John Wollersheim said Wednesday.

Staff at the school planned a prank for the assembly during which each of the winter sports team captains were blindfolded and kissed.

The idea was that the students believe the kisser was another student and then guess who it was but the joke was the mystery kisser was that student's mom or dad.

It was a gag that ultimately went awry.

"I know there are people who are upset about what they have seen and as principal I am responsible for what happens here. For all the people who are offended, they are genuinely offended, and I owe them an apology," Wollersheim said.

Why people were so put off possibly has a bit to do with context.

What some are upset about is what they saw in a 59-second YouTube clip, which, according to Principal Wollershiem isn't 100-percent indicative of what happened at the assembly.

It is just a clip taken from an activity that went on for nearly a half an hour.

"A lesson to be learned is that what you see on the internet, sometimes you just see portions of what really happened and it can lead you to think a certain way," he said.

But he isn't making that an excuse. Wollsershiem's main point is to apologize, plain and simple.

"This is supposed to be a fun event and it should leave everyone feeling pepped and if it is leaving people not feeling good or embarrassed or hurt that is absolutely the opposite of what we are trying to do."

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