Exhibit 24

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints Patricia L. Van Gorder, Michael C. Veysey and Angela M. Woo
the undersigned's true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, with either of such
attorneys-in-fact having the power to unilaterally:

(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
capacity as an executive officer and/or director of
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. ("Company"), Forms 3, 4, 5, and any other form
promulgated under Section 16(a), in accordance with Section 16(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such
Form 3, 4 or 5 and timely file any such form with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar
authority; and

(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the
undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power
of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such
attorney-in-fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power
and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever
necessary or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and
powers herein granted, as fully as the undersigned might or could do if
personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that each such attorney-in-fact, or each
such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights
and powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that each
foregoing attorney-in-fact, by serving in such capacity at the request
of the undersigned, is not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any
of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect
to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued
by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed
writing delivered to the attorney-in-fact that the undersigned desires
to terminate. I hereby revoke the previous Power of Attorney issued to
Anita S. Gifford and Patricia L. Van Gorder on the 22nd day of February, 2000.
This Power of Attorney constitutes the entire agreement with respect to
the subject matter hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed this 24 day of June, 2004.


s/ David J. McLaughlin
David J. McLaughlin