Liability of a board of education, trustee, trustees or board of cooperative educational services

§ 3023. Liability of a board of education, trustee, trustees or board of cooperative educational services. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, general, special or local, or the limitation contained in the provisions of any city charter, it shall be the duty of each board of education, trustee or trustees, in any school district having a population of less than one million, and each board of cooperative educational services established pursuant to section nineteen hundred fifty of this chapter, to save harmless and protect all teachers, practice or cadet teachers, authorized participants in a school volunteer program, and members of supervisory and administrative staff or employees from financial loss arising out of any claim, demand, suit or judgment by reason of alleged negligence or other act resulting in accidental bodily injury to any person, or accidental damage to the property of any person within or without the school building, provided such teacher, practice or cadet teacher, authorized participant in a school volunteer program, or member of the supervisory or administrative staff or employee at the time of the accident or injury was acting in the discharge of his duties within the scope of his employment or authorized volunteer duties and/or under the direction of said board of education, trustee, trustees or board of cooperative educational services; and said board of education, trustee, trustees or board of cooperative educational services may arrange for and maintain appropriate insurance with any insurance company created by or under the laws of this state, or in any insurance company authorized by law to transact business in this state, or such board, trustee, trustees or board of cooperative educational services may elect to act as self-insurers to maintain the aforesaid protection. A board of education, trustee, board of trustees, or board of cooperative educational services, however, shall not be subject to the duty imposed by this section, unless such teacher, practice or cadet teacher, authorized participant in a school volunteer program, or member of the supervisory and administrative staff or employee shall, within ten days of the time he is served with any summons, complaint, process, notice, demand or pleading, deliver the original or a copy of the same to such board of education, trustee, board of trustes, or board of cooperative educational services.