Teen Accusing Teacher of Sexual Conduct, Grooming Speaks Out: 'Not Going to Back Down'

An 18-year-old South Carolina teenager who says he was 14 when his teacher started sexually assaulting him is speaking out. As he's publicly identified himself in interviews with reporters to raise awareness, TooFab is identifying the teen here as well. Last week, Grant Strickland, 18, spoke with press following a bond hearing for Nicole Ballew Collaham, a 33-year-old teacher facing multiple charges from two different jurisdictions. According to the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, she was arrested after "a prolonged and inappropriate relationship" with the teen, following an investigation launched back in May. Per authorities, the investigation "uncovered evidence that the misconduct began in 2021 and continued for at least two years with the then teenage boy." The Sheriff charged her with Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. The Greenville Police Department also, separately, charged her with Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child. "I'm here to fight and I'm not going to back down," Strickland said to WYFF. "I think more awareness needs to be brought to things like this and just because I'm a man doesn't mean it should be shunned away. I was a child. I wasn't a man. I was a boy." According to the teen's mother, Allison Strickland, her son had a love of theater and met Callaham when she was working as a director of musical theater on a production of Legally Blonde at the Project Challenge Playhouse. Callaham also reportedly worked as a kindergarten teacher at Homeland Park Primary School from 2017 until resigning on May 21, 2025; Strickland was not one of her students there. "Callaham, an Anderson County school teacher at the time, engaged in grooming behavior toward the boy during his early teenage years," said the Anderson County Sheriff. "The relationship intensified as she reportedly signed the student out of school, transported him to practices, and served as a supervisor for after-school activities." "These repeated interactions led to a prolonged pattern of abuse, which was corroborated by search warrants and ongoing cooperation with the victim's family," the Sheriff's statement continued. "According to investigators, the victim made the decision to come forward after turning 18, following time spent processing the experience and trauma associated with the abuse." Callaham surrendered herself to authorities on Thursday morning; she has since posted $40,000 bond and left jail in Anderson County, before she was taken to Greenville County for a separate bond hearing there this morning. Per Court TV, a statement from the victim -- who said he was "lonely and depressed" when he first met Callaham -- was read by an advocate at Monday's hearing. "She saw I was vulnerable and used that to her advantage," read the letter, which also accuses Callaham of "calling him slurs and suggesting he kill himself," per Court TV. "What started as attention during a school play quickly turned into manipulation, emotional abuse and trauma that I never should have had to carry." While prosecutors asked for Callaham to be held without bail, her attorneys confirmed she's eight to nine weeks pregnant and is due for prenatal appointments. She was granted bond and, as part of the conditions, Callaham must stay on house arrest at home with her fiancé and can have no contact with the victim. "It's made me come to realize that I had to grow up very, very fast and get one a whole other maturity level I wasn't ready for," Strickland told press last week, saying coming forward with the allegations has felt "like a weight lifted off of me." He told reporters he "had forgotten" most of the details of what allegedly happened, saying he started to remember more after he had "finally spoken up about it." "I would love to bring more awareness to show this happens and it happens a lot. It's not just to women, it's men too," he continued. "It happens to children and it's gotta stop. I would never want someone to go through what I went through because I don't think most people would be strong enough to survive it, because I almost didn't." He also urged others to not "keep quiet because of someone else, or if someone else tells you to," adding, "Protect your peace, because in the end, that's what is going to matter." In Anderson County Court, Callaham's attorney reportedly said they "look forward to a day in court." The Clemson City Police Department is also allegedly investigating the case.