Each local board may declare any epidemic or cause of ill health to be so injurious or hazardous as to make it necessary to close any or all of the public or private schools within the jurisdiction of the board.
No public school shall be closed except by the direction of the body having the control or direction of such school. Any such body may cause any school under its control to be closed, if, in its judgment, such closing is necessary because of the injurious or hazardous nature of an epidemic or cause of ill health.
N.J.S. § 26:4-5