Noting that the role of phonics in reading and writing has become as much a political issue as it has an educational one, this pamphlet offers a position statement regarding the role of phonics in a total reading program. It begins with three assertions regarding phonics and the teaching of reading: (1) the teaching of phonics is an important aspect of beginning reading instruction; (2) classroom teachers in the primary grades do value and do teach phonics as part of their reading programs; and (3) phonics instruction, to be effective in promoting independence in reading, must be embedded in the context of a total reading/language arts program. The pamphlet concludes with an outline for a professional stance towards phonics. (RS)