SUNMAN, Ind. — Teachers unhappy that they still don't have a contract for a school year that ends next week were “healthier” Thursday after many of them called in sick or took personal days Wednesday.

        Until further negotiating sessions are set, teachers here will continue to take advantage of sick and personal days due them, wear black clothing, be at school only during the hours established in the contract and monitor spending by the board of education.

        “It's not a strike. It's not a sickout,” said Robert Branigan, head of the Sunman Dearborn Education Association.

        “We've taken the high road and not talked about it with the kids. Education will continue. We're here for the kids. All we want is a fair and equitable contract.”

        On Wednesday, educators in this district of 4,200 students were forced to call in instructional aides, college students and administrators to staff the classrooms when 58 of the district's 256 teachers either called in sick or took a personal day off, said Superintendent John Roeder.

        The number of teachers absent Thursday dropped to 18, close to the average of 10 to 15.

        “We've made do with alternatives we normally don't do. We've put out the word to our subs to be available,” Mr. Roeder said.

        Mr. Roeder said pay is a sticking point in the negotiations, but he declined to be more specific.

        Teachers have been without a contract since August. The last mediation session, May 9, ended after negotiators for the school board withdrew when teachers made a counteroffer that was unacceptable, Mr. Roeder said.

        This week, teachers began wearing black to show their unhappiness with progress.

        No dates have been set for negotiations.

        Mr. Branigan said teachers question why the board agreed to spend $500,000 to develop a playground and four ball fields for a new intermediate school after receiving only one bid.

        Teachers also want to know why the board soon plans to hire an administrator for a school that won't open until 2003.

        “If you've got money for that, you've got to have money to pay your teachers,” Mr. Branigan said.

        Mr. Roeder said the administrator would have several duties, including overseeing discipline for freshmen and sophomores at the high school, working half days at the middle school and spending time planning for the opening of the intermediate school.

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