A proposal to remove bullies from schools has been met with calls for caution. The SA Democratic Teachers' Union has suggested creating alternative schools for bullies as a way of dealing with the worsening situation.Mugwena Maluleke, the union's general secretary, said the scourge of bullying is crippling schools, especially in the Western Cape, where gangsterism has contributed to the problem.The deputy CEO of the Federation for School Governing Bodies, Jaco Deacon, said the federation would endorse such schools if violent pupils could be rehabilitated."Giving children a second chance is vital," he said.Deacon said schools were losing an "enormous" amount of teaching time because of bullies disrupting lessons.But he warned that the profile of a bully has changed dramatically."The bully has gone from being the big guy at school. Suddenly, the bully has turned into a nerd, a superman behind his computer, and the bullying is not limited to school hours."Clinical psychologist Gary Koen said the authorities should be cautious about establishing special schools for bullies."They must take great care, spend time and achieve a consensus in identifying what exactly defines a bully," said Koen.Maluleke said it was important that bullies be rehabilitated and their psychological needs addressed."These schools [would have to have] teachers who are trained to deal with behavioural issues."They would also need access to psychosocial services so that we are able to deal with the child's emotional state."The SA Democratic Teachers' Union is running seminars on violence at schools to be attended by about 1200 principals from around the country.Cyber bullying, said Dr Denine Smit, of the University of the Free State, is relentless and a challenge facing schools worldwide...