HAMPTON - A school nurse at Hampton Academy who was fired two years ago and escorted out of the building will be reimbursed for lost wages and can have her job back if she wants.

An arbitrator recently ruled the Hampton School District was in the wrong when they terminated Dee Gough after 16 years of employment, according to Andrew Gushee, president of the teachers union.

"I do feel vindicated," said Gough. "I just want to thank everyone who supported and stood by me through this."

Superintendent James Gaylord was unavailable for comment, and Hampton School Board Chairwoman Sandra Nickerson said she could not comment on the decision because it was a personnel issue.

In 2005, the Hampton School Board filed an unfair labor practice grievance with the state Public Employees Labor Relations Board against the union because it was trying to fight Gough's dismissal.

Gough was fired after being placed on suspension on two occasions in 2005. Gough said she was never given a reason for the suspensions and was never allowed to appeal them, despite being a member of the teachers union.

At the time, Gaylord said the nurses in School Administrative Unit 21 were not part of the teachers' contract and as a result were not entitled to the benefits of union representation.

In 2006, the labor board ruled Gough was a member of the union and was entitled to appeal via an arbitrator.

While Gaylord said at the time of the firing that there was no language in the contract that specifically states nurses are included in the teachers' contract, the labor board ruled the contract specifically details salary and benefits for nurses and that they are protected under the contract.