Section 526. Powers of investigation

The  board  of  education may
  investigate, of its own motion or otherwise either in the board or by  a
  committee  of  its  own  body, any subject of which it has cognizance or
  over which it has legal control, including the conduct  of  any  of  its
  members  or  employees  or  those of any local school board; and for the
  purpose of such investigation, such board or its president, or committee
  or its chairman, shall have and may exercise  all  the  powers  which  a
  board  of education has or may exercise in the case of a trial under the
  Education Law or the Civil Practice  Law  and  Rules.    Any  action  or
  determination  of  a  committee  appointed  under the provisions of this
  section shall be subject to approval or reversal by the board, which may
  also modify the determination of the committee in such way as the  board
  shall  deem proper and just, and the judgment of the board thereon shall
  be final.