§ 2561. Liability of certain officers and employees of boards of
education in a city having a population of one million or more
inhabitants. If, in order to furnish needy children or minors with
food, shoes, clothing, and other necessities to enable them to attend
school as contemplated by law and to benefit from instruction, the board
of education of a city having a population of one million or more shall
have required, imposed or permitted, the performance of duties by any of
its officers and employees, because of which it became necessary or
expedient for any such officer or employee to act for the board of
education, or to act for or in cooperation with any other agency of
government, federal, state or municipal, then irrespective of the fact
that the authority to require, impose or permit the performance of such
duties may not have been specifically conferred upon said board of
education by provisions of this chapter, each such board of education
shall be liable for and shall assume liability to the extent that it
shall save harmless any such officers or employees for damages arising
out of the negligence of any such officer or employee prior to April
fifteenth, nineteen hundred thirty-seven, while actually engaged in the
performance of such required or permitted duties, provided the officer
or employee at the time was acting within the scope of his duties or
employment.