Editor’s note: This story is No. 4 in a series looking at the top 10 stories of 2020 for The Daily News, counting down from 10 to 1 from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1. New school board member Eric Whitfield was sworn into office this month after a controversial path to his election that began with allegations of racism. Whitfield, who was one of four Republican candidates for Onslow County Board of Education to win the party’s nomination in the March primary, was fired from his job and received backlash online after posting a racial remark on social media. According to previous Daily News reports, he posted a comment on Facebook that used the term “ignorant darkies” in a reference to black people.