<?php
function real_forum_sticky_mod_form_alter($form_id, &$form)
{
   if (user_access('toggle nodes sticky'))
   {
      // pass the permission down the tree
      $form['options']['status']['#access'] = $form['options']['#access'];
      $form['options']['promote']['#access'] = $form['options']['#access'];
      $form['options']['revision']['#access'] = $form['options']['#access'];

      // and override the sticky permission
      $form['options']['#access'] = user_access('toggle nodes sticky');
      $form['options']['sticky']['#access'] = user_access('toggle nodes sticky');
   }
}

// the sticky bit gets reset to default during the _submit process,
// but before nodeapi('submit') gets called, so we save a copy of the
// submitted value during 'validate' and restore it during 'submit'
function real_forum_sticky_mod_nodeapi(&$node, $op, $a3, $a4)
{
   static $sticky = NULL;
   if (user_access('toggle nodes sticky'))
   {
      if ($op == 'validate')
      {
         // save the value
         $sticky = $node->sticky;
         // $sticky = $a3['options']['sticky']['#value'];
      }
      else if ($op == 'submit')
      {
         // reestore the value
         $node->sticky = $sticky;
      }
   }
}