The noted celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson was accused of sexual misconduct by four women last November. He has denied the allegations and asked for an impartial investigation into them.

Now his employer, New York’s American Museum of Natural History has stated that he will continue with his job with them after the investigation is over.

Neil deGrasse Tyson keeps his job

The celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has some good news to smile about. He works at the American Museum of Natural History situated in New York.

The Museum authorities have stated that he would retain his job with them after the investigation into the alleged sexual misconduct is completed.

This Thursday 25 July 2019, the Museum released a statement and said:

“Neil deGrasse Tyson remains an employee and director of the Hayden Planetarium,”

They also noted:

“No further comment will be made because this is a confidential personnel matter,”

One of the victims musician Tchiya Amet was unhappy with the investigation and said:

“it seemed like they were judging my character more than what happened.”

National Geographic and Their March Decision

Neil was hosting two TV shows namely “StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson” and “Cosmos”. After the November 2018 allegations of sexual misconduct against him, he was temporarily suspended from the shows.

But in March 2019, the two channels National Geographic and Fox stated that Neil would return to the television.

They decided to move forward and have him on board as before as host of the two shows. Their joint statement said:

“The investigation is complete, and we are moving forward with both ‘StarTalk’ and ‘Cosmos,'”

The statement further read:

“‘StarTalk’ will return to the air with the remaining 13 episodes in April on National Geographic, and both Fox and National Geographic are committed to finding an air date for ‘Cosmos.’ There will be no further comment.”

The sexual misconduct allegations – November 2018

Four women had accused Neil of inappropriate sexual conduct in November 2018. Their story was posted online on Patheos.com which is supposedly an online site for a global dialogue about religion and spirituality.

Musician Tchiya Amet had said that Neil raped her when they were graduate students at the University of Texas Austin in 1984. Another Ashley Watson said that Neil had made unwanted advances toward her when she was with the Fox/National Geographic show Cosmos. 

Another lady,  physics and astronomy professor Katelyn Allers said that in 2009 Neil took her to a corner to see her tattoo under her dress and touched her uncomfortably.

The fourth lady preferred to remain anonymous but said that Neil had propositioned her in 2010 at a party for museum employees.

Neil denied all allegations and asked for an impartial investigation into it. He put up a long clarification on his Facebook page and titled it ‘On being accused’. It read:

“In any claim, evidence matters. Evidence always matters,”

It went on:

“But what happens when it’s just one person’s word against another’s, and the stories don’t agree? That’s when people tend to pass judgment on who is more credible than whom. And that’s when an impartial investigation can best serve the truth – and would have my full cooperation to do so.”

He said that men accused of sexual misconduct are presumed guilty in this era of #MeToo. The reasons for it are mostly justified but in some, they are not justified.

Also, read Louis CK begins joking about his sexual misconduct during his comeback stand-up comedy acts!

Source: USA Today,  vox