(a) It shall be lawful for the board of directors of any school district in this state to appoint and provide for the payment of one (1) or more physicians or nurses and to assign any person so employed to the public schools of the district for the purpose of making such physical examinations of the pupils of the schools as may be prescribed in the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education.

(b) The nature of the examination shall be only such as to detect contagious or infectious diseases or any defect of sight, hearing, or function or condition of health tending to prevent any pupil from receiving the full benefit of school work.

(c) It shall be the duty of any physician or nurse so employed to make such examinations for contagious or infectious disease, including the teeth and mouth, whenever the examination may be deemed necessary, and to make examination for other defects at least one (1) time in each school year, preferably at or near the beginning of the year.

(d) In any city, town, or any county where the health authorities are providing for the physical examination of public school children substantially as contemplated in this section, the examination provided for in this section need not be made by any school physician or school nurse.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing boards of directors from requiring teachers to make such tests of sight and hearing as may be prescribed by the board of directors.

(f) Any pupil may be excused from the examination herein provided for on presentation of a certificate from a reputable physician that the physician has recently examined the pupil or on presentation of a written statement of the pupil's parent or guardian that the parent or guardian objects to the examination of his or her child or ward, but this provision shall not be applicable in case of a pupil suspected of having a contagious or infectious disease.