(1) A board of education of a community college district may operate a self-insurance program to provide its employees with health insurance benefits.
(2) A board may operate a self-insurance program under this section for liability covering all activities of the community college district and for health insurance benefits for students engaging in athletic contests or in traffic patrols, and may pay the necessary premiums thereon.
(3) Failure to operate a self-insurance program shall in no case be construed as negligence or lack of diligence on the part of the board or the members thereof.